Sedation Dentistry

According to the CDC only 64% of adults aged 18-64 had a dental visit in the past 12 months, and it is estimated that between 9% and 15% of Americans have anxiety about dental treatments. That means 30 - 40 Million Americans avoid the dentist, and according to the American Dental Association, the number one reason is fear. But fear is not the only reason, many patients have had traumatic dental experiences or have other anxieties about their treatment. Others have very busy lives with little time for repeat visits to the dentist. Whatever your reason is, know this, you are not alone!

At Covington Smiles, Dr. Daniel Lee, DDS, strives to meet your individual needs with comfortable, safe, and effective dental treatments. For our patients with anxiety, sedation dentistry may be the answer. We offer local anesthetic, nitrous oxide, oral (conscious) sedation, and general anesthesia as options for our patients.

Dental Sedation Questions Answered on This Page

Q. How does sedation dentistry help?

Q. What is sedation dentistry?

Q. Is sedation dentistry safe?

Q. How does sedation dentistry work?

Q. Who can benefit from sedation?

Q. What types of sedation dentistry are there?

Q. How much is sedation dentistry?

Sedation dentistry allows Dr. Daniel Lee, DDS, and his team to create a safe and comfortable dental experience for patients who avoid the dentist out of fear. Using well-established and proven sedation methods, Dr. Lee can work more effectively by helping you become as comfortable as possible. Covington Smiles is here to help you safely and effectively get the care you need in a comfortable environment as it has for so many other patients.

Sedation dentistry is designed to help reduce your anxiety and allows you to receive dental treatments without fear. It is ideal for those patients who are otherwise scared or anxious about visiting our Covington dental office. Sedation dentistry allows the dentist to provide a variety of necessary dental procedures safely and comfortably for patients who experience anxiety when visiting the dentist. Some of the benefits of sedation dentistry include:

●      Little to no memory of receiving a dental procedure

●      Little to no fear or anxiety during their treatment

Sedation dentistry is closely regulated by law, and we are licensed by the Washington State Department of Health. For the most complex cases that require deep sedation, we work with a team of local anesthesiologists.

Different forms of medication are used in sedation dentistry to help provide patients with a comfortable dental treatment experience. Classifications of dental sedation are mild, moderate, and deep.

●      With mild sedation, most patients remain fairly alert but feel relaxed. (gas)

●      Moderate sedation induces a deeper state of relaxation; patients undergoing it may not remember much of the procedure. (oral)

●      Patients under deep sedation are not conscious and are put to sleep by a team of anesthesiologists. (general anesthesia)

You can learn more about the type of sedation offered at Covington Smiles under the, “What types of dental sedation are there.” section below.

“Covington Smiles offers nitrous oxide and minimal sedation techniques to help patients relax during treatment.”

The patients that benefit the most from dental sedation are those that get very anxious, nervous, and fearful. It also benefits patients that need to have long, complicated dental procedures performed in one visit. This could include wisdom tooth removal or procedures that may involve a number of appointments, such as dental implants. Even routine dental procedures such as cleanings, fillings, and crowns can be completed in one visit under sedation dentistry.

While sedation dentistry is extremely helpful for fearful or anxious patients, it also may be beneficial for:

●      Patients with sensitive teeth

●      Patients with special needs or medical conditions that make dental treatment more difficult (e.g., dementia, Alzheimer’s, etc.)

●      Patients with difficulty sitting still for long periods of time

●      Patients that have a hard time getting (and staying) numb

●      Patients with strong gag reflex

●      Patients with low pain threshold

“If you’ve been forgoing treatment because of fear and anxiety, oral sedation is a great option for you.”

Because each patient is different with their own individual needs, Covington Smiles offers a variety of dental sedation options to help you stay comfortable during your dental procedures. Learning more about each of these sedation techniques can help you determine which option is best for you.

Some of the sedative options patients have to choose from include:

Local anesthetic - While other sedation medications may help you relax, local anesthetic is required to numb the teeth for general procedures. Learn more about local anesthetic.

Inhalation — Nitrous oxide, or laughing gas, is the most frequently used method for easing mild to moderate anxiety. Recovery is quick, and you can return to normal activities immediately.  Learn more about inhalation sedation.

Oral -  Moderate sedation options like oral sedation are ideal for patients of all ages and are taken by mouth one hour before your appointment. Learn more about oral sedation.

Intravenously - (through the veins). General anesthesia or IV sedation is a deep sedation option for those who wish to sleep through their procedure. Learn more about intravenous sedation, also known as sleep dentistry.

If at any time you have questions about which sedation option might be right for you, contact us so we can answer your questions.

Local Anesthesia

Local anesthetic allows you to remain conscious during your dental treatment. An anesthetic (such as lidocaine) is injected in and around the area being worked on. It is usually used for procedures like fillings, tooth extractions, root canals, and crown placement. Local anesthetic can be used alongside all other forms of anesthesia during most dental procedures.

Nitrous Oxide

Nitrous oxide has been used since 1844 and is a safe and effective sedative agent that will help you relax. It is an odorless and colorless gas mixed with oxygen and inhaled through a small mask that fits over your nose.

Nitrous oxide, sometimes called "laughing gas," is the mildest sedation option we may offer to help make you more comfortable during certain procedures. It is not intended to put you to sleep. You will remain alert and be able to hear and respond to any requests or directions we may have. Dr. Lee will ask you to breathe normally through your nose, and within a few short minutes, you should start to feel the effects of the nitrous oxide. You may feel light-headed or tingling in your arms and legs. Some people say their arms and legs feel heavy. Ultimately, you should feel calm, comfortable, and relaxed.

The effects of nitrous oxide wear off soon after the mask is removed, often within seconds. Talk to us about whether nitrous oxide would be a good option for you at your next appointment. Because nitrous oxide completely leaves your system after your treatment ends, you are able to drive yourself to and from the appointment unaccompanied.

Oral Sedation

Oral sedation is an extremely common technique for those with mild to severe anxiety. Some of the benefits of oral sedation are it’s painless (no needles), safe for all ages, you are responsive the whole time, a feeling of relaxation, and it produces an amnesia effect which means you simply don’t remember the details of your procedure, like the sights and sounds of your visit. Hour-long dental procedures can feel like only a few minutes have passed.

There are a variety of sedation medications called benzodiazepines, which are taken orally or "sublingually" (under the tongue). The most common oral sedation medication is Halcion. This medication is prescribed in pill form and is usually taken one hour before your appointment. This allows time for the medication to take effect and allows you to feel fully relaxed by the time of your appointment.

Since oral sedation has a range of mild to moderate effects, and we do not know how the sedation will affect you, we require that patients have a parent, spouse, or friend drive them to and from their appointment. The effects of sedation may take several hours to wear off, making it unsafe to operate vehicles.

All sedation medicines are administered at our offices under the care of a professional. For more information about oral sedation at Covington Smiles, please contact our office today so we can help you in making the right sedation choice for you.

General Anesthesia

Here at Covington Smiles we offer true sedation under general anesthesia. General anesthesia is a deep state of unconsciousness, where you will be "asleep" for the procedure. People typically think of this when they go to the hospital for surgery. One of the many benefits of general anesthesia is being completely asleep, this allows the dentist to perform cleanings, fillings, crowns, extractions & implants all in one appointment. This also makes it one of the most sought-after sedation options for those with dental anxiety. For patients who wish to have general anesthesia but are not fans of needles, nitrous oxide - laughing gas can be administered before IV insertion. This type of anesthesia requires special equipment and a trained anesthesiologist. At Covington Smiles, we work with a team of trusted anesthesiologists to give you the best anesthesia available. You can learn more about general anesthesia costs and aftercare down below.

Anesthesia billing is simply a function of the total time of patient care by the anesthesiologist. The time is broken into 15 minutes, commonly referred to as "units" in anesthesia billing. As an average, the total time billed by the anesthesiologist is the full duration of the surgical/dental procedure plus 30 minutes. That's 15 minutes to get a patient safely settled under anesthesia, then the surgical or dental procedure, then 15 minutes to get the patient safely awakened from anesthesia.

Billing Insurance

Our anesthesiologist coordinates with most dental insurance companies to bill for anesthesia care if benefits are available. We do not bill medical insurance. However, we are happy to help with any forms you may need to submit for reimbursement to your medical insurance after your invoice has been paid in full.

Private Pay

Insurance reimbursement often takes 90-120 days to finalize payment for anesthesia. We offer an incentive to our patients who pay their balance within 30 days of the date of service.

There is a one-hour minimum for anesthesia care, and a deposit is due in advance. Deposits are not refunded in the event of a no-show. Your procedure may be rescheduled if we do not receive the deposit before your appointment date.

We offer additional discounts to Active-Duty Military, Veterans, Police, and Firefighters. Thank you for your service and sacrifice.

Post Operative Instruction for General Anesthesia

Waking up after anesthesia:

It is normal to be disoriented upon waking from anesthesia. It is also common to have some short-term memory loss. Many anesthetic medicines interfere with memory, and the friend or family member that escorts you home should be advised that you may ask the same questions repeatedly. In a few hours, when short-term memory is functioning normally again, that will subside. It's also normal to be tired after anesthesia. People commonly think of being under anesthesia as "going to sleep," but it's not the same. When you return home after your procedure, you may want to nap. Naps are encouraged, and you should sleep if you feel like it.

Pain and discomfort:

If your dental provider has prescribed prescription medications for you to take postoperatively, you should take those as directed. If you are also taking over-the-counter medicines, you will need to wait until 6 hours have passed since the end of the procedure to take ibuprofen or naproxen. You will have received an IV medicine called Toradol which is in the same class of medicines as ibuprofen and naproxen. This is why waiting 6 hours is necessary. Tylenol can be taken immediately as prescribed by your dentist or surgeon.

Eating and drinking:

Restarting eating and drinking is to be done slowly. Some patients can feel just fine but then eat or drink too much, and they suddenly feel nauseated. We recommend this: when you think you want anything to eat or drink, start with water. Then, if the water is not bothering you, slowly add food and drink. As a general idea, it's better to feel hungry than nauseated.

Activity:

Rest today, nap if you feel like it, and get a good night's sleep. Tomorrow will be a normal day from an anesthesia perspective. Depending on your procedure, you may be recovering for several days, but recovering from the anesthesia generally takes just one day.

Contact our trusted dental clinic to make an appointment with Dr. Daniel Lee and his team. 253-630-2483

If you have any type of dental phobia, talk to us about the benefits of sedation dentistry! Schedule your consultation today.