It’s a simple fact that a lot of people don’t enjoy going to the dentist for dental procedures, so if that’s you, we understand your fear and anxiety. In fact, Dr. “B” (Boyd Newsome, DMD) experienced this kind of anxiety himself for several years while getting dental treatment as a young adult. Fortunately, our office can help relieve your anxiety to help make your dental experiences a lot less stressful or scary by providing sedation dental care.

Sedation dentistry, administered by an either oral sedative, Nitrous Oxide or “laughing gas”, IV sedation medications, and/or a combination of such is a popular method to help mitigate anxiety and allow for a much more pleasant experience while undergoing a dental procedure. It is especially appropriate for those patients who are too young to sit still during dental procedures or for those who just nervous about going to the dentist as this service can be provided for basic dental care such as a normal teeth cleaning or more advanced dental care such as gum surgeries, tooth extractions, or the placement of dental implants, etc.

For many, it is the only way they can go to the dentist and it even becomes something patients look forward to. As mentioned above, sedation dentistry uses medication(s) to help patients relax during a dental procedure but while many people call it sleep dentistry; patients do NOT actually go to sleep, but instead (depending on the level of sedation achieved) sometimes feel like they just woke up from a nap and cannot remember much about their dental treatment experience similar to the sensation of awaking from sleep without remembering much about your dreams.

Before deciding on which level of sedation you’ll need for your dental procedure, our dentist will discuss your sedation needs and/or desires as well as medically evaluate you to see if you or your child is a good candidate for sedation dentistry and if so, what level of sedation would be most appropriate.

What are the different levels of sedation?

Minimal Sedation – You are fully awake, but you feel relaxed during the treatment. This can be accomplished using Nitrous Oxide, often called laughing gas since it can possibly make a young child gigglier when initially administered even though this is usually not the case. Minimal sedation can also be achieved with an oral medication given prior to the dental procedure. Sometimes both methods are used at the same time depending on the level of sedation needed or requested.

Moderate Sedation -You are awake, but usually feel drowsy, and you may not remember everything or oftentimes anything about the dental procedure. This type of sedation is usually obtained through a higher dose of oral medication in conjunction with Nitrous Oxide gas or through the use an IV catheter (needle) with even higher doses of sedative medications delivered intravenously directly into the cardiovascular system of the patient. This type of sedation, if not monitored carefully, can cause a person to go into deep sedation and can then be fatal.

Deep sedation – This level of sedation is usually achieved in a hospital or outpatient general surgery setting and is one small step above NOT having the ability to breathe on your own (general anesthesia) and can easily be fatal if not very carefully monitored. All dentists in the state of New Mexico will only provide this level of sedation in the exclusive setting of a hospital or an outpatient general surgical center.

Can any dentist provide sedation dental care?

No, only those dentists who have additional certifications from the New Mexico Dental Board are allowed to provide this level of service as only those dentists who have undergone advanced training can be become credentialed to offer this type of dental treatment. Riverpoint Family, Cosmetic, & Implant Dentistry currently offers minimal and moderate sedation, which is the appropriate level of sedation needed for nearly all dental procedures performed in a dental office.

When should you consider sedation dental care?

Going to the dentist should be a good experience and not something you dread. There are many acceptable reasons why you should consider undergoing sedation dental care. Listed below are just a few examples.

-You have a bad gag reflex.

-You can’t sit still in the chair.

-You have a low pain threshold.

-You might have very sensitive teeth.

-You always have been or now are anxious about receiving dental care.

-You need a large amount of dental work completed and want to have it accomplished in the least amount of discomfort possible.

Is there an Age Requirement for Sedation?

Sedation dentistry can be performed on patients of all ages as long as their health permits it. Most children who expected to have difficulty sitting still or following directions during dental treatment are good candidates for minimal sedation, which is a very safe level of sedation. Regardless, there are always inherent risks that come with any medical or dental procedure; therefore, you or your children should only receive this level of dental care by dentists who are credentialed by the NM Board of Dentistry to offer this care in order to minimize any chance of complications or unsafe situations. Our dental office is indeed credentialed to offer this level of care to any patient, young or more experienced in life.

We Want you to be Comfortable and Confident

We want our patients to be as comfortable as possible during their dental experiences. If you have any questions about sedation dental care, we want you to feel free to ask them at any time. We want you to be confident that we are the right dental office for you or your family’s dental sedation needs so please feel free to ask about our dentist’s education, experience and training in providing sedation dental care.