Dental anxiety affects thousands of patients. If the thought of going to the dentist makes you afraid, sedation dentistry may be a good, low-stress alternative for you. David Quigley Dentistry is your Halifax sedation dentistry provider and we have over 20 years of experience working with patients who are anxious with regard to dental work. Note that we only provide sedation to adult patients. For anxious children we can recommend a local pediatric dentist who provides sedation services.
Depending on your level of anxiety, oral sedation may be an alternative for you. Prior to your examination we would prescribe a mild sedative or anti-anxiety medication, which you would take right before your appointment. Due to the sedative effect of the medication, you may not be able to drive yourself home after the procedure, therefore you may need to arrange transportation.
IV sedation involves the administration of a sedative intravenously. IV sedation is felt more quickly than oral sedation and the dentist can adjust the amount of sedation you receive during the procedure. Please note that the sedative will make you drowsy and you won't be able to drive for 24 hours after your appointment. You'll need to arrange a drive home, and you should have someone nearby to care for you for the 24 hour period.
Nitrous oxide, or "laughing gas" is administered with a mask that is placed over your nose. It provides a light to moderate level of sedation, and the effects wear off quickly.
We have found that sedation dentistry has offered an alternative for those with busy schedules. With sedation dentistry, treatments that normally may require several appointments to complete can now be done in as little as one visit. This is perfect for someone who does not have time for multiple visits.