Sedation Dentistry

At Cottonwood Dental, we are pleased to offer our Albuquerque & Rio Rancho patients safe sedation dentistry. Patients who may need sedation dentistry have:

  • A fear or severe anxiety when going to the dentist
  • An inability to sit still for a long period of time
  • Difficulty staying numb from anesthetics

Goals of Sedation Dentistry

There are a number of reasons that sedation dentistry can be the best option for a patient. Dental fear and anxiety can be a barrier for a number of patients in obtaining dental care. Our Albuquerque & Rio Rancho sedation dentist understands that making your dental visit more tolerable with sedation dentistry is a worthwhile goal. Dr. David Giaquinto provides sedation dentistry for those who need it.

Our sedation dentistry goals include:

  • Maintaining sedation with minimal risks
  • Relief of dental anxiety can produce some degree of amnesia for some patients
  • Provide relief from pain through local anesthesia
  • Enhancing the ability of the dental patient to cooperate with the dental procedure
  • Elevation of the pain threshold for most patients
  • The ability for the patient to communicate during the sedation is paramount to the monitoring, meaning you are not asleep
  • Improve vital signs (can temporarily lower high stress produced high blood pressure e.g.)
  • For some patients some degree of amnesia and/or make the time go by quicker
  • Mood alteration (hopefully more pleasant)

The Least Amount of Sedation is our Top Goal

Our Albuquerque dentists want to use the least amount of sedation to accomplish the goal of completing the dental procedure. For some patients the minimal sedation will have no profound effect other than they were not overly worried about the procedure. For more anxious patient a different level of sedation may be more appropriate. If this occurs, the patient will be rescheduled and the next level of the sedation continuum will be considered. Undoubtedly for some the next level will need to be offered in order to complete the planned dental procedure.

Nitrous Oxide Dental Sedation

Our dental sedation dentist Dr. Giaquinto provides nitrous oxide (happy gas) for patients who find that dental care is stressful or difficult to tolerate. Nitrous oxide is one of the oldest and most reliable methods used by the dental profession to make dental procedures more tolerable for their patients.

ADVANTAGES OF DENTAL NITROUS OXIDE/OXYGEN SEDATION

The prime advantage of nitrous oxide/oxygen sedation for dental procedures is that is has been used effectively in dentistry and medicine for many decades. These advantages include but are not limited to:

  • Long history of safety
  • Simple and effective dental sedation
  • No hang over effect
  • Dental patients can drive to and from their appointments
  • Works for most patients

HOW IS NITROUS OXIDE/OXYGEN USED IN DENTISTRY?

Our Albuquerque dental sedation dental office first looks to see if this simple level of sedation is appropriate for you or your family. The first step is a review of your medical history to make certain that nitrous oxide is appropriate. In the sedation process we use 100% oxygen to adequately oxygenate you and to allow the nitrous oxide to be “titrated” to a level that is specific for you. What is unique about nitrous oxide/oxygen is the level to provide dental sedation for each patient. For some patients the level is quite low and for other it can be higher. Once the dental procedure is complete our dentists place you on 100% oxygen again to drive the nitrous oxide from your blood stream. This 100% oxygen session last approximately 5 min or so or until you feel the effects of nitrous oxide has cleared from your system.

Cottonwood Dental Offers Minimal Dental Sedation

Dr. David R. Giaquinto has completed the educational requirements for “minimal sedation” as require by the New Mexico State Board of Dental Examiners. In addition, all the doctors are members on the American Dental Society of Anesthesiology which is an organization dedicated to dental education in sedation dentistry.

Please feel free to call our office at (505) 899-7645 and see if dental sedation might help you with your tolerance for dental procedures.