Sedation Dentistry | Park City, Salt Lake City, Midway & Heber, UT

Because of past experiences, some people will not go to a dentist and are unable to benefit from proper dentistry because they are afraid. Unfortunately, this can cause serious problems to your dental health. Sedation dentistry enables patients who have fear or anxiety of dental work to be able to take advantage of modern dentistry procedures in Park City, Salt Lake City, Midway and Heber, Utah.

What is sedation dentistry?

Sedation dentistry allows patients to overcome their anxiety and fear about going to the dentist. By enabling the patient to relax and feel at ease, this helps to eliminate the barriers he or she has erected to keep them from having necessary regular dental care. This preventive care is critical to long-term oral health, but patients who have extreme anxiety about visiting the dentist often don’t come in for these twice-yearly cleanings and exams.

At Dr. Peterson’s our sedation allows our patients to overcome various levels of anxiety, all the way up to phobia about even visiting the dentist. Plus, when a patient is sedated he or she can group various procedures into a single office visit, making it a better use of their time. And in the end, you have little or no recollection about your visit.

What Are the Different Types of Anesthesia?

There are several types of anesthesia, ranging from light sedation to general anesthesia. It is common practice to have patients pass from one level of anesthesia to the next through the course of treatment. The following explains the different types of anesthesia offered by the Summit Anesthesia team:

Light Sedation – Patients’ anxieties are relieved, but they are conscious and able to verbally and physically respond throughout the procedure.

Moderate Sedation – Patients are still conscious and able to respond to verbal commands, but are generally less alert.  Most importantly, they won’t remember much, if any, of their dental treatment.

Deep Sedation/General Anesthesia – Patients are in a drug-induced state of unconsciousness, allowing the doctors to work freely. Patients are able to wake quickly following general anesthesia, with no memory of the procedure, and are able to go home following a short recovery period.

Anesthesia can also be beneficial in the:

• Fear or anxiety towards dental treatments
• Complex treatment plans or procedures
• Physical or mental disabilities
• Young children unable to cooperate or lay still
• Fear of shots or needles
• Limited time for multiple dental visits
• Patients with sensitive gag reflexes
• Low pain threshold
• Co-existing medical issues circumstances

What drug is used for oral sedation?

For our oral sedation, we use a pill similar to Valium.

What is the difference between sedation dentistry and sleep dentistry?

This is a bit of a misnomer. Patients sometimes think they will be put “under,” as they are with general anesthesia. This is not the case. With nitrous oxide, oral, and IV sedation, you’re always awake but sedated.

Dentists rarely use general anesthesia. This is used for more involved oral surgery, such as wisdom teeth or various periodontal procedures.

Am I a candidate for sedation dentistry?

Patients can misunderstand the difference between sedation and anesthesia. Anesthetic ensures you’ll feel nothing during our dental procedures. Sedation isn’t to handle pain — that’s the role of anesthesia — but to help patients deal with strong feelings of fear and anxiety that arise when they visit the dentist. After receiving sedation and successfully completing their appointment, patients often completely change how they view dental appointments going forward. Sedation could be a great option if you:

• Have difficulty overcoming anxiety about the dentist
• Have a low pain threshold
• Have very sensitive teeth
• Have a very strong gag reflex
• Need a large amount of work done

Once you are sedated and comfortable, we then properly numb, or anesthetize, the area we are working on, ensuring that your procedure is pain-free.

What can I expect with sedation dentistry?

This depends on the type of sedation you’ve chosen. If you’ve opted for oral sedation, you receive the pill from 30 to 60 minutes before your procedure begins. The pill will make you drowsy, but you’re still awake.

Nitrous oxide delivers virtually instantaneous results. It is given through a mask that’s placed over your nose. The delivery and its effects are immediate, and so is the reverse. As soon as the mask is removed the effects wear off in just a few seconds.

If you’ve opted for moderate sedation with an IV, we have an anesthesiologist who handles this sedation. This is delivered intravenously and its effects are instantaneous.

If you receive oral sedation or IV sedation, you can’t drive yourself home from our Sun Peak offices. With nitrous oxide, you’re fine to drive, which is one advantage to using this sedation option.

What Our Patients Have to Say

“What an amazing experience! Everything was wonderful from Ashley greeting me with a sweet smile and great conversation, to Dr. Peterson and Bobette’s expertise, knowledge, and excellent care. It’s rare to find a place that cares and looks into total body health. This is the place to take care of all your dental needs!” -LaShae S. 

How long do the effects of dental sedation last?

The effects of oral sedation last from two to four hours after your appointment. IV sedation varies with different patients. Some patients have almost no after-effects just minutes afterward; others can feel effects for a few hours after their appointment. The effects of nitrous oxide stop as soon as the mask is removed from your nose.

Can you feel any pain during sedation dentistry?

Again, there is a little misconception here. Sedation is not anesthesia. Sedation has the goal of helping the patient overcome his or her anxiety or fear that they associate with the dentist. Sedation has the pleasant side benefit of usually also creating an amnesia-like effect, so the patient has little or no memory of their appointment.

Anesthesia is what keeps you comfortable and pain-free. Modern dental anesthesia ensures Dr. Peterson’s patients don’t feel anything during any of our treatments.