Regular visits to the dentist should be a normal part of everyone’s life, from dental hygiene to the occasional procedure needed for ongoing oral health.

A phenomenon that’s not uncommon in our field is dentophobia – a.k.a. fear of going to the dentist. Many people have a deeply rooted fear of dental clinics and dental procedures.

If you’re one of those people, fear not – sedation dentistry (either through IV sedation or nitrous oxide / laughing gas) can help you push through a dental procedure and live a better life with good oral health.

Sedation dentistry is not available in every Ottawa dental clinic, but it is available here at Pretoria Bridge Dental in Ottawa. If you’re nervous about dental procedures and/or dental clinics, sedation dentistry could be the solution for you.

What is Sedation Dentistry?

When some people think about going to the dentist, they may conjure up scenes of painful local anesthesia needles, filling teeth cavities, pulling teeth (extraction), root canals, etc.

Thinking about going to the dentist for these procedures can be is too much for people suffering from anxiety or fear of the dentist.

Sedation dentistry could be just what they need to feel relaxed while getting their teeth and oral health taken care of.

Here at Pretoria Bridge Dental Clinic in Ottawa, we offer three types of sedation dentistry:

• Oral sedatives
• Nitrous oxide (a.k.a. “laughing gas“)
• IV Sedation

Which type of sedation dentistry we recommend for you will depend on a number of factors, such as the type of dental procedure involved, your level of anxiety or dentophobia, as well as your medical history.

For IV sedation, which is different that local anesthesia, our downtown Ottawa dentists use IV sedation administered with a needle into the vein. This form of sedation allows you to get your dental procedure taken care of without feeling pain, discomfort or stress. You won’t be fully aware of what’s going on, but you won’t feel pain either.

IV sedation kicks in very quickly, and once it wears off, most patients can’t remember what happened. What’s important to know is that it’s a dental procedure that requires special training, which is why you can’t get it everywhere.

Other forms of sedation include nitrous oxide (laughing gas) and pills. Each has its merits for sedation dentistry.

Who Is a Candidate for Sedation Dentistry?

If you feel anxious or scared of going to the dentist, IV sedation can help you take care of your teeth without feeling anything. But there are a few limitations to who can use this method of anesthesia.

People with various health conditions and older people are advised to use other methods because of the increased risk of side effects. You should always talk to your downtown Ottawa dentist first and ask us about all available options.

Remember that you can avoid serious dental procedures with the right oral hygiene. If you brush your teeth twice a day and rinse your mouth with mouthwash regularly, you won’t have to worry about IV sedation and be scared of going to the dentist.

Types of Sedation Dentistry

There are three categories when it comes to sedation dentistry.

Each one is designed for specific procedures, and some are used to help patients deal with fear and anxiety. Here’s a quick overview of the common sedation dentistry categories:

Mild sedation

Sedation is administered through inhalation of nitrous oxide, a.k.a. laughing gas. It keeps patients conscious throughout the procedure, staying relaxed and mildly aware of what’s going on without discomfort or a heightened sense of nervousness.

Moderate sedation

IV sedation falls under this category. In IV sedation, patients are also in an altered state of consciousness but the relaxation is deeper, and people tend to lose their awareness of what’s transpiring (as well as walking away with only faint memories of the procedure once the effects wear off).

Deep sedation

Patients who need complex dental procedures such as root canals and implants are placed under general anesthesia. This stronger sedation dentistry is used to put patients to sleep while the dentist and team do their job.

Sedation Dentistry in Ottawa’s Downtown & Glebe Areas

To find out more about sedation dentistry in Ottawa and whether this could be a good option for you, contact us today.

Pretoria Bridge Dental serves the central Ottawa core areas including Downtown Ottawa, Centretown, The Glebe, Ottawa South, Ottawa East, Sandy Hill and many other nearby communities in the Nation’s Capital.