Our team always provides our anxious or fearful patients with heartfelt and genuine care. We understand and respect our patients who come to us in hopes of building trust with a new dental team after having a negative experience in the past, and we don’t take your effort and trust in us lightly! We want you to rely on our experts to have a positive experience each and every time you see us, which is why we invest in building long-term, meaningful relationships with our patients in addition to offering sedation dentistry in Goose Creek. To learn more about dental sedation methods that we offer, call our team today.
Who is a Good Candidate for Sedation Dentistry?
We typically recommend dental sedation from our Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, Tim McAdams, in the following situations:
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You’re undergoing a lengthy procedure
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You have a disability that will make sitting for treatment uncomfortable or difficult
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You have had a bad past experience at the dental office that has led you to feel fearful or anxious about visiting the dentist
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You have a sensitive gag reflex that makes receiving treatment or cleanings difficult
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You require a more extensive procedure, like a tooth extraction or dental implant placement
Before our team recommends any patients for sedation dentistry, we make sure to go through medical histories and collect a list of medications being taken. Based on our screening, we can let you know whether sedation is right for you during a consultation.
Oral Conscious Sedation
Oral conscious sedation is excellent for our older patients who experience dental anxiety. Before your appointment, our team will prescribe you a single pill that you can take, typically a prescription in the diazepam family. By the time you arrive to our office, you’ll feel relaxed and at-ease, making receiving care much easier and more comfortable for you. Because the effects kick-in quickly and wear off after several hours, you’ll need to have a trusted friend or family member ready to pick you up and drop you off from your appointment.
IV Sedation
Our Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, Tim McAdams, has over 20 years of experience and specialized training to offer safe IV sedation while one of our skilled dentists completes any needed procedures. The medication will be administered directly into the bloodstream for near-immediate effects that can last for up to 24 hours. We typically recommend this method of sedation for our patients in need of complex or extensive care.
Nitrous Oxide
Nitrous oxide sedation is administered in-office during your appointment. A small mask will be placed over the nose that will allow you to breathe in a colorless, odorless mixture of nitrous oxide and oxygen. It will cause a euphoric wave to wash over you that will ease your nerves and anxieties during your visit. Once the procedure is complete, our team will remove the mask and the effects will disappear within minutes, allowing you to carry on with the rest of your day as you normally would.
