Sedation Dentistry in Broken Arrow, OK

Sedation dentistry uses medication to help you stay calm during treatment. At Dentistry For You in Broken Arrow we offer oral sedation and nitrous oxide, and either can be used for anything from a cleaning to oral surgery.

Who It Is For

The largest group is people who are frightened. That is not unusual and it is not something to apologise for. A bad experience years ago, a fear of needles, a gag reflex that makes impressions unbearable, or simply not liking being unable to see what is happening a few inches from your face.

The cost of that fear is what matters. Patients who avoid the dentist for a decade do not arrive with the same problems they started with. Small cavities become root canals and extractions. Sedation is the thing that breaks that cycle.

The second group are not anxious at all. They have several procedures to get through and would rather do it in one longer visit than four separate ones. Sedation makes a two-hour appointment feel considerably shorter.

It also helps patients with a strong gag reflex, those who find it hard to sit still or keep their mouth open for long, and people who do not numb up easily.

Nitrous Oxide

Nitrous oxide, which almost everyone calls laughing gas, is breathed in through a small mask over your nose, mixed with oxygen. It takes effect within a few minutes and produces a light floating calm. You stay fully awake and can talk to us throughout.

Its best feature is how quickly it stops. We switch to pure oxygen for a few minutes at the end and it clears almost completely, so you can drive yourself home and go back to work. The level can also be adjusted during the appointment.

It is well suited to mild anxiety, to children, and to shorter procedures.

Been Avoiding the Dentist?

Call the front desk and we will find you a time that works.

Oral Sedation

Oral sedation means taking a prescribed tablet, usually an hour or so before the appointment. It produces a much deeper calm than nitrous. You remain conscious and able to respond, but you are drowsy and most people remember little of the appointment afterwards.

That gap in memory is often the point. A patient with genuine dental phobia can get through treatment without accumulating another bad memory to carry into the next visit.

The trade-off is timing. The effects last for hours, so you must have somebody bring you, take you home and stay with you, and you cannot drive, work or look after small children on your own for the rest of the day.

Before You Book

Sedation is planned, not improvised, which is why telling the front desk when you call matters.

We go through your medical history, all your medications including supplements, any allergies, and any breathing conditions such as sleep apnea. Be direct about everything, including alcohol and anything recreational, because interactions are the main safety consideration and nobody here is interested in judging you.

You will get specific instructions on eating and drinking beforehand, and arrangements for getting home if you are having oral sedation.

What It Does Not Do

Sedation handles anxiety. It does not numb the tooth, so local anaesthetic is still used. The difference is that a relaxed patient minds the injection far less, and for a great many people the injection was the whole problem.

If you have been avoiding dental care, say so when you call (918) 355-1391. We will plan the first visit around it.

Questions About Sedation

Will I be unconscious?

No. Both options here keep you conscious and able to respond. You will be relaxed and much less aware of what is going on, and with oral sedation many people remember very little afterwards, but you are not put to sleep.

Can I drive myself home?

After nitrous oxide, yes. It clears within a few minutes of the mask coming off. After oral sedation, no. You will need someone to bring you, take you home and stay with you for the rest of the day.

Is sedation safe?

For healthy patients it has a long track record. Safety comes from the assessment beforehand, which is why we go through your medical history, your medications and any breathing problems such as sleep apnea before agreeing to it. Be straightforward about all of it, including anything you take recreationally.

Does sedation replace the numbing injection?

No. Sedation manages anxiety; local anaesthetic manages pain, and you still need it. The advantage is that a sedated patient is far less bothered by the injection itself, which for many people is the part they dread most.

Book a Sedation Consultation

Tell the front desk you are anxious when you call. It changes how the appointment is planned.

Sedation Dentistry in Broken Arrow