The most common type of medication we use to sedate our patients at Avalon Dental Care is nitrous oxide. This is also known as laughing gas. It’s administered through a mask that goes over your nose, so you inhale it as you breathe in naturally. It works very quickly, and we’ll keep a close eye on you the whole time during your procedure. Once we’re finished with whatever we must do, we’ll make sure you get enough oxygen and that the effects of the nitrous oxide have worn off before we let you get up and head out. What nitrous oxide does is temporarily slow down your brain activity and your body’s responses, so it’s very safe to use.

There is also another way in which sedatives can be administered to patients. It would be through oral medication that you take about an hour before the procedure. Its effects are a little more long-lasting than those of nitrous oxide, so you may feel sleepy after the procedure if you go with this route.