Sedation Dentistry in Woodbridge, VA
Sedation dentistry in Woodbridge VA helps you feel relaxed during dental procedures like routine teeth cleaning, oral surgery, and orthodontic work. Here at Niles Dental, we would much rather provide you with medication to help you feel relaxed and comfortable than have you avoid getting the dental work you need.
Dr. Raymond Niles and Dr. Kathryn Niles-Smith have each completed an advanced certification program that provides them with the credentials needed to administer all sedative options. You may be a good candidate for sedation dentistry at your next appointment if you deal with any of the issues listed below.
- Avoid dental appointments due to fear of pain or the unknown
- Claustrophobic feelings while sitting in a dental chair
- Decreased sensitivity to anesthesia that blocks pain receptors
- Difficulty controlling bodily movements, such as those with a seizure disorder
- Fear of needles
- Sensitive gag reflex
- Severe tooth sensitivity
- Special cognitive, emotional, or physical needs that make it difficult to sit still in a dental chair or follow the dentist’s instructions
Maybe you have none of these needs but just prefer to be sedated for dental appointments. That is fine, too. Just let us know before we begin working on you that you would like some type of dental sedation.
What to Expect at Your Initial Consultation
We will have you come in for a consultation before scheduling the procedure for which you may need dental sedation. Dr. Niles or Dr. Niles-Smith will inspect your mouth or gums visually but will not use any dental instruments at this point. Your dentist will also ask you several questions about your general and oral health, including all prescription medications, vitamins, and supplements you currently take. Gathering this information is necessary to ensure that they prepare for your oral surgery or other appointment as best as they can.
Once you have confirmed your future procedure, be sure to ask about our sedation options. Your dentist will go over the pros and cons of each and make a recommendation based on your oral health needs and health history. You may need to stop taking certain medications, such as a blood thinner called warfarin, for a few days before your scheduled procedure.
Exploring Your Options for Sedation Dentistry
We offer each of the forms of sedation listed below.
Nitrous Oxide (Laughing Gas)
As our most popular sedation option, laughing gas makes you feel slightly lightheaded and relaxed to the point that you giggle at things you would not normally find amusing. The sensation only lasts as long as your dental appointment, so it is fine to drive yourself home afterward.
When you choose this sedation dentistry option, Dr. Niles, Dr. Niles-Smith, or one of their assistants place a hard plastic mask over your nose and mouth and ask you to breathe in nitrous oxide. The effects of the medication should be immediate. When your dentist has finished working on you, he or she will send purse oxygen into the tube attached to your face mask and ask you to inhale it. This process flushes the nitrous oxide out of your system.
Oral Conscious Sedation
Another option you can consider for remaining awake but relaxed during your dental work is oral conscious sedation. We would prescribe a sedative medication in pill form that you take approximately one hour before your scheduled appointment. Our dentists typically prescribe a medication in the Valium family or its generic equivalent, diazepam. We usually prefer to prescribe liquid sedatives for pediatric patients.
Oral sedatives can make you feel groggy enough that you fall asleep. However, your dentist can wake you easily and you are still able to communicate throughout your appointment. We ask that you arrange a ride home after receiving oral sedation since the pills affect your motor skills and memory for a longer time than nitrous oxide does.
Intravenous (IV) Sedation
IV sedation is the deepest form ofsedation dentistry in Woodbridge VA that we can offer to patients in a dental practice setting. If you feel that you need deep sedation, we start your dental procedure by placing a needle into a vein that delivers medications directly into your bloodstream. Dr. Niles or Dr. Niles-Smith continually monitor your blood pressure, heart rate, and oxygen level to ensure that all remain at an even level. Your dentist or one of their assistants will adjust your medication levels as needed.
Most patients who opt for IV sedation fall into a deep sleep and have no memory of their dental procedure later. For this reason, you will need to arrange for a ride home ahead of your appointment. We recommend considering less invasive options for dental sedation unless you have severe anxiety or need to undergo an extensive procedure.
Recovering from Dental Sedation at Home
You do not need to do anything special after receiving nitrous oxide since that wears off quickly on its own. If you take an oral sedative or have medication delivered through an IV, you need to have a responsible adult whom you know take you home and make sure you are feeling okay before leaving. Please do not take public transportation or call a rideshare company since the driver has no obligation to help you out of the car or check on you once you get inside your home.
You may experience lingering drowsiness or a slight headache, which is normal. Be sure to reach out to us after receivingsedation dentistry in Woodbridge VA if you think you may have developed an allergic reaction or healing is taking longer than you expected.
