Sedation Services - Sedation Dentistry, Sleep Dentistry
Nitrous Oxide- Laughing Gas
Laughing gas is the oldest and safest method used in sedation dentistry. It is effective and allows you to drive home after breathing some pure oxygen for a little while after your appointment. You don’t go to sleep but it makes you not really care about what’s going on around you and relaxes you. At Chad M. Gardner DDS, we also use it with oral sedation to make it more effective. If you live in Bastrop or the surrounding areas Oak Grove, Monroe and beyond, you can safely drive yourself home after laughing gas. Contact us today to schedule an appointment and experience the difference that our sedation dentistry services can make.
Oral Sedation
Experience the ease of anxiolysis or oral sedation dentistry, our most preferred and frequently utilized type of sedation, right here in Bastrop, also serving Monroe, Oak Grove, Rayville, and Lake Providence. With light oral sedation, there's no need for an IV - just a few simple pills to help you relax. For those who require a deeper level of sedation, we can enhance the process with the addition of laughing gas or another medication, transitioning into moderate sedation.
If you believe you might need this increased level of sedation, consider our options for IV sedation or moderate oral sedation. These methods necessitate more comprehensive monitoring and a detailed medical examination, ensuring we are fully prepared for your appointment.
We take pride in being one of the few dental offices in the area offering a comprehensive range of sleep dentistry options. Many of our patients find themselves comfortably sleeping through their appointments, often with no recollection of their visit, all from just a couple of pills! Best of all, we offer light oral sedation at absolutely no extra cost.
IV Sedation
Moderate sedation dentistry requires a very thorough medical examination. Moderate sedation dentistry can include:
- prescribe you something to help you sleep the night before and maybe something to take the morning of your dentistry if you are extremely nervous.
- have you schedule an 8am appointment so you can avoid solid foods from midnight until your appointment
- The combination of multiple oral and/or IV medications to achieve the desired effects of sleep dentistry
- Can be as simple as an injection in the shoulder
- Rubbing a numbing cream in the area we plan to start the IV to start the IV as comfortably as possible
- administer medications in small increments until you reach a safe level of moderate sedation
- administer more medications as needed to keep your level of sedation the same until the dentistry is completed, whether that is 4 minutes or 4 hours
- You will need a driver whether you live in Bastrop, Monroe, or any surrounding areas
sedation frequently asked questions
With oral sedation, what can I expect?
Anxiolysis, a common and simple form of sedation dentistry used in sleep dentistry. Upon taking 1-2 pills, you'll enter a state of relaxation so profound that you may not even remember arriving at the office. Although you'll technically remain awake, the majority of patients drift into a peaceful sleep once the numbing effect takes hold and they understand they won't experience any discomfort.
Despite this deep state of relaxation, you can easily be roused if we gently shake your shoulder and call your name. This method is widely used due to its simplicity, effectiveness, and safety in sedation dentistry making dental procedures a stress-free experience for patients.
How long does oral sedation last and what does it cost?
Everyone is different, but generally people start to come around after 3-4 hours or so. Most people report going home, taking a great nap. Sleep dentistry or anxiolysis is our most popular method of sedation.
We do not charge for basic oral sedation dentistry, also known as anxiolysis.
What if I want to be sedated longer or deeper?
For those requiring extensive dental procedures or desiring a deeper, more sustained level of sedation dentistry, IV sedation is an optimal choice, provided your health permits. IV sedation allows us to precisely control and maintain your sedation level for longer periods, ensuring your comfort and safety throughout the procedure. This method offers a reliable and safer alternative to taking additional pills for prolonged sedation
What is moderate sedation?
It is a state of sedation deeper than anxiolysis using one or more drugs to keep you comfortable. Most people have no memory of the experience and sleep through the entire appointment but you still breathe on your own and can be awakened by us. You are very out of it but you are not "put to sleep" like in a hospital when having something like your tonsils out or a knee replaced. It can be done using pills, an injection of medication but is best performed through an IV.
You are continuously monitored by several different means for your safety and many of the drugs we give are reversible making it very safe.
How much does IV sedation/moderate sedation cost?
Due to the setup time and costs of all the different disposable monitoring devices we must use for IV sedation dentistry, as well as the costs of the medications, there is a fee of $495. If the amount of dentistry you are having done is significant, the fee is usually waived.