Sedation Dentistry – Beachwood, OH
Feel More Comfortable
In The Treatment Chair
A 2012 study published in Medical Principles and Practice estimated that 36 percent of the population was impacted by dental fear and anxiety. If you have a dental phobia, it can keep you from receiving the care you need and preserving the health of your smile. Over time, your fear can lead to worsening oral health problems that cause you discomfort. At Orange Place Family Dentistry, our goal is to help you feel at-ease whenever you visit our dental office, so you can keep your oral health on the right track. That’s why we offer oral conscious and nitrous oxide sedation dentistry in our Beachwood, OH dental office.
Why Choose Orange Place Family Dentistry for Sedation Dentistry?
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We Accept
Dental Insurance -
Friendly & Welcoming
Dental Staff -
Combined Experience
of 4+ Decades
Oral Conscious Dental Sedation
If you have moderate or more severe anxiety, we offer oral conscious sedation. Before your visit, we’ll prescribe you with a pill to take about an hour before you reach our dental office. That way, when you arrive, you’ll feel calm and at-ease. We’ll guide you back to the room, provide you with the treatment you need, and send you on your way. The effects of this form of sedation can last for a while, so it’s important to plan to have a trusted friend or family member drop you off and pick you up from your appointment.
Nitrous Oxide Sedation
In addition to offering oral conscious sedation, we offer nitrous oxide for patients who have mild to moderate dental fear. So, if you struggle with dental-related anxiety or something else is stopping you from getting the care you need, like a sensitive gag reflex, don’t hesitate to let us know! We’d be happy to review the details of this calming solution and determine if you’re a candidate. In the meantime, you can read on to learn more on the topic!
Who is a Good Candidate for Nitrous Oxide?
The best way to find out the answer is by scheduling a consultation with Dr. Koops or Dr. Mollica. After they’ve asked you a few questions about your dental history and why you’re interested in adding nitrous oxide to your treatment plan, they can determine if you’re a candidate. Fortunately, many patients who struggle with mild dental-related anxiety are. If you are pregnant, you have a condition that makes it difficult to breathe through your nose, or there’s another reason you aren’t a candidate, then we will explore the other ways we can make your experience at our office calm and stress-free.
How Does Nitrous Oxide Work?
When you arrive at our dental office, we’ll take you back to the treatment room. Then, we will place a small nose mask on you, which will administer the colorless, odorless gas that you’ll breathe in. Within a few minutes, you’ll begin to feel a wave of euphoria wash over you, allowing you to feel less anxious and scared. Although you won’t be put to sleep, many patients do feel so calm and at-ease that they begin to doze off. Not to worry – we can gently wake you, if needed. Otherwise, we can leave you be until we’re done providing the care you need.
Aftercare for Nitrous Oxide
Once we’re finished with your procedure, we’ll remove the mask. Shortly after, you’ll begin to feel the effects wear off. In fact, you should feel like your usual self again within 10 minutes! As a result, you don’t have to worry about lingering grogginess or arranging for someone to drive you home from your appointment. Instead, we will give you any aftercare instructions specific to the care you received, like rinsing periodically with warm saltwater, and then you can go about the rest of your day as you normally would. As always, if you have any questions after leaving our office, you can give us a call!
Sedation Dentistry FAQs
Will I Be Put to Sleep with Sedation Dentistry?
Although our sedation can make you feel relaxed and calm, whether you get nitrous oxide or oral conscious sedation, you will not be rendered unconscious. In fact, we would prefer you to remain awake so that you can respond to instructions and questions as needed. With nitrous oxide, we will occasionally ask you about your comfort level to make sure you’re feeling perfectly content throughout your time in the chair. After your appointment, if you’ve had oral conscious sedation, you will need someone to drive you home because your reaction time will be impaired.
Is Sedation Dentistry Safe?
In the vast majority of cases, sedation dentistry is absolutely safe. Nitrous oxide is gentle enough that it can be used on children as well as adults, and negative or serious reactions are very rare. The dosage can be adjusted during the appointment, so we’ll find the perfect level for your comfort and well-being while it’s in your system. Once your nasal mask has been removed, we will wait a few minutes to make sure the effects wear off before we send you to return to your day. Before prescribing oral conscious sedation, we will ask about your medical history and current medications to make sure it is safe for you to take.
Will I Remember My Appointment After Having Dental Sedation?
It depends on the type of sedation you get. Oral conscious sedation does have an amnesiac effect, meaning that your memory of the appointment will likely be hazy, but nitrous oxide does not have this type of effect. You should be fully aware of what’s going on around you, but the odorless, gentle gas simply removes any anxiety and replaces it with feelings of contentment. We can take your desires to remember or forget your visit into account when considering your sedation options.
Is Sedation Dentistry Covered by Insurance?
In some cases, sedation dentistry is considered elective or optional and is not covered by dental insurance. In other situations, however, such as if you have a medical diagnosis for anxiety, sedation may be partially paid for by your policy. Also, if you are undergoing emergency or more advanced treatment, sedation may be covered. We will take a closer look at your plan and see what benefits you have available. We strive to be transparent and will clearly let you know what coverage will pay for and what you’ll need to pay out-of-pocket.