Sedation Dentistry

Dental anxiety is extremely common. In fact, some people experience such extreme fear related to dental care that it could be more accurately termed a phobia. Dental anxiety and dental phobia can cause risky delays in essential treatments. Delaying even routine dental care can increase your risk of suffering from severe dental problems, including infection or abscess. If you suffer from dental anxiety or dental phobia, our North Hollywood sedation dentistry specialist can help.
Sedation dentistry in North Hollywood can help ease your anxiety. Several options and levels of sedation are available, and our dentist will help you determine which may be best for you. Minimal sedation generally involves inhaled sedation, or nitrous oxide. You will be awake and relaxed, and because the gas is administered via a mask over your nose, you have more control over the amount of sedation you experience. The gas also leaves your system almost immediately, which means you will generally be able to drive home after treatment.
Our North Hollywood sedation dentistry dentist may prescribe oral anti-anxiety medications to induce a more moderate level of sedation, or conscious sedation. Oral sedation may be used alongside inhaled sedation. You will be conscious and awake, but you will be in a deep state of relaxation and are unlikely to remember much of the procedure.
Deep sedation may be necessary for patients who experience severe phobias or who have behavioral or developmental issues that prevent them from cooperating fully with treatment procedures. The sedatives are generally administered intravenously, and although you may drift off to sleep, you will be easily awakened.