We believe that dental work does not have to be anxiety-producing or needlessly painful. In our office we use "conscious sedation" techniques when necessary, with the goal to perform dental procedures with minimal pain, discomfort and anxiety for the patient.

From dental phobia to dental surgery, there are many reasons patients elect or need conscious dental sedation. For example, we might implement conscious sedation and make a patient drowsy (and relaxed) by administering nitrous oxide (laughing gas) to manage his or her anxiety about visiting the dentist or nervousness about a procedure; this can also be helpful for those who find it difficult to sit still, have a low pain threshold or strong gag reflexes.

With conscious sedation, patients are given just enough sedation to fully relax and sit quietly and comfortably. Procedures such as fillings, crowns, bridges, root canals, extractions, cosmetic procedures, and periodontal treatments usually require some kind of sedation.