Sedation: IV Sedation vs. Laughing Gas and Oral Conscious Sedation

If you’re an especially fearful dental patient, modern treatment aids and medication have made visits a more relaxing experience. Of all the options available for relieving dental anxiety with sedation, IV sedation from a certified provider can offer a level of relaxation that makes longer procedures more manageable.

When considering IV sedation for your next dental procedure, consider how this method of sedation compares to more commonly offered alternatives, such as nitrous oxide and the oral conscious version.

Oral Conscious Sedation

This version is given in pill-form and is often a variety of popular anti-anxiety medications, such as Halycion, Versed, or Valium. Oral conscious sedation can come in a variety of dosages and strengths, with each carrying a different half-life, or how long they will remain in your system. It’s common to take a dose of medication before your appointment at home and/or right before you are taken back for treatment while in-office. Oral conscious sedation is effective at producing a calming sensation, but it is more difficult to precisely control how long this reaction may last. Patients may need to return home to rest for a few hours after treatment to allow time for the medication to work through their systems.

Nitrous Oxide

Perhaps the more common version of sedation, nitrous is provided via a mask that is placed over your mouth and nose. After inhaling the medication for a few minutes, you will begin to feel less anxious and more relaxed. This version of sedation can be reversed more easily, as oxygen is inhaled to flush the effects out of your system. However, nitrous produces a more moderate level of relaxation and may not be ideal for longer dental procedures.

IV Sedation

IV sedation, like the oral conscious method, can promote deep relaxation. Patients feel as if their appointment has passed in the blink of an eye. IV sedation also takes effect quickly, as medication is administered intravenously. As this specialized procedure requires certification and training, it is less common, but highly effective. The deep relaxation sensation can also be more easily tapered off, as your dentist has better control of how much sedative medication is continuously provided. Patients who choose IV sedation do not experience the groggy after effects of oral conscious medication and can utilize this service for longer or more comprehensive dental visits.

At Riata Dental, Dr. Uldrikson is licensed to provide IV sedation in Kingman, AZ. For more information on how IV sedation can soothe your dental anxiety and help you complete complex procedures with at-ease, call our office today.

What Does Your Investment in Dental Implants Get You?

Not many dental patients consider their oral health treatments to be an investment in their future health and wellness.  When you need a comprehensive dental restoration to replace missing teeth, however, it’s essential to think about how your treatment choice will affect your everyday life. Will you be able to eat all the foods you love? Will your smile look natural? Many patients’ first and only concern is cost of care. While this is certainly important, consider your teeth replacement choice as an investment that will pay dividends in health, happiness, and comfort over the years.

Consider what your investments in available treatments may return:

Full or Partial Removable Dentures

These prosthetics are popular for their affordable cost and can help restore the appearance of a full smile. Unfortunately, however, these restorations aren’t permanent and need to be fixed in place each day. If you wear a partial denture, there is a metal framework that attaches to surrounding teeth. For full denture wearers, paste is used to suction the denture to an arch.  Throughout the day, denture wearers often find that their replacement teeth loosen or become uncomfortable and diminish their ability to bite and chew. Over time, the metal framework of partial dentures can negatively impact anchor teeth and full dentures can rub on and irritate soft tissue.

Fixed Dental Bridges

Bridgework is a more sturdy restoration, compared to partial dentures, as they are cemented in place. Bridges can replace one missing tooth, or small groups of teeth, but are not recommended for total tooth loss. Patients who choose a dental bridge can enjoy improved biting and chewing ability, but must be careful to clean beneath their prosthetic each day to prevent decay and damage to surrounding teeth. It’s also important to note that bridges need to rest on surrounding teeth to be properly bonded in place. Anchor teeth are buffed to accommodate the bridge, which requires the alteration of otherwise healthy tooth structure.

Dental Implants

Compared to bridges and dentures, implants come with an elevated initial cost. However, implants prove to offer more health benefits and are lower maintenance over time. Implants do not rest on soft tissue or other teeth, so there is no negative impact on healthy oral structures. Because implants are rooted in bone through surgical placement, your new teeth can provide oral function that is similar to your own, natural teeth. This also allows your implant to stimulate healthy bone density for better overall dental health. Implants are versatile and can be used to replace one tooth or even all of your natural teeth in an arch.  Implants are one of the few restorations that can last a lifetime with proper care.

Your investment in dental implants provides for the best in long-term comfort, oral function, and oral health. With implant supported teeth, you can enjoy a renewed smile that is as close as possible to your own teeth. If you have questions about implants, call Dr. Uldrikson for more information about your treatment options.

Questions to Bring to your Cosmetic Dentistry Consultation

Cosmetic dental procedures are becoming more popular as patients seek out improved ways to ensure that their smiles look as natural as possible. If you’re thinking about a cosmetic dental procedure, such as veneers or whitening, be prepared to come to your cosmetic dental consultation with questions so you can get the most out of treatment. Cosmetic dental patients should consider:

Materials Used – From what your crown or veneer is made out of, to what happens during your whitening procedure, the materials used to enhance your smile have an effect on treatment outcome and comfort.  If you’re looking for a cosmetic dental prosthetic, the most natural results are achieved with completely tooth-colored materials, such as all-porcelain and ceramic. If you’re seeking in-office teeth whitening, ask our office about what you can do to limit any post-treatment sensitivity.

Financing and Insurance – Cosmetic dental treatments, when used solely for aesthetics as opposed to restorative purposes, may not be covered under insurance. However, there are many other ways to get the smile you want in an affordable manner. Be sure to ask our office about available specials, in-office payment plans, or other financing.  If you’d like to request a specific material for a cosmetic dental prosthetic, also be sure to ask how any upgrades in materials may affect your treatment plan.

Longevity – How long a treatment will last is an important part of making your selection among cosmetic procedures. For more complex cosmetic and restorative issues, such as tooth decay or missing teeth, be sure to ask our team about bridges vs. dentures and dental implants, or the benefits of crowns compared to onlays. We can help you carefully weigh the best choices for your needs.

Conducting Research on Treatments, Before and Afters, and Reviews

Knowing what to ask beforehand can help you better understand the treatments that are available and the best ways for achieving what you want. It’s a good idea to do some preliminary research on treatments to correct cosmetic problems, whether that’s teeth whitening to remove discoloration, veneers to fix cracks and chips on teeth, or a tooth-colored dental crown to treat severely decayed teeth.

In addition to knowing what treatments may work for you, visit our website to make sure that you like the before-and-after transformations provided at our office. It’s essential that you enjoy your chosen dentist’s artistry in cosmetic procedures.

As a final measure, be sure to read office reviews on sites such as Yelp and Google+. Trustworthy first-hand accounts from other patients can help you form an idea about what kind of experience to expect.

Cosmetic Dentistry at Riata Dental

Our Kingman, AZ cosmetic dental office provides patients with a variety of choices for materials and treatments. We work with you to help maximize available benefits and minimize out-of-pocket cost.  We also encourage our patients to visit our Smile Gallery and leave or read reviews on Yelp and Google+. If you have any questions, contact our office today.

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