What is Nitrous Oxide Sedation?

Going for your annual dental check-up is one of your least favorite activities. In fact, the mere thought of lying on a dental chair for a number of hours makes your heart beat faster. Luckily for you, your days of fearing your dental appointments are over. It turns out that your dentist has just given you the go signal to undergo nitrous oxide sedation on your next visit.

To find out more about nitrous oxide sedation, you may refer to the following information that we have prepared:

What is nitrous oxide sedation?
Nitrous oxide sedation, also known as inhalation sedation, is a method in sedation dentistry that requires you to inhale a combination of oxygen and the sedative gas, nitrous oxide, through a mask placed on your nose.

How is it performed?
Before putting you under nitrous oxide sedation, your dentist first meets up with you to give you a clear idea of what your procedure entails. On the day of your procedure, your dentist conducts a final health assessment to determine whether you have developed any respiratory problem that can prevent you from properly inhaling the sedative gas. If your dentist deems you healthy, he escorts you to the dental chair and places the mask on your nose. He then gives you a dose of pure oxygen for a few minutes, so that you can get accustomed to breathing through the mask. Once you’re comfortable with the mask, your dentist lets you inhale a certain amount of the sedative gas. Finally, your dentist checks if you’re completely sedated before working on your teeth.

How can I benefit from it?
With nitrous oxide sedation, you no longer need to get a local anesthetic shot since the sedative gas already possesses analgesic properties. Aside from that, you only need to wait 2-3 minutes to feel the effects of the sedative gas.

Indiana’s top cosmetic dentist, Dr. David Smith, can provide you additional details on nitrous oxide sedation. Feel free to visit him here at Really Smile or call 317-451-4050 to book a consultation.