Sedation Dentistry

Sedation Dentistry Portland

"Sedation Dentistry has really changed things for me. Before I didn't know how I would ever get my teeth taken care of, even though they really hurt and looked awful. But just the thought of dental work was the worst thing I could imagine. With this medication I hardly remembered a thing about the appointment and now my work is all done, after all these years of avoiding the dentist. Thank you Dr. Daby."
- C.M. Smiles on Sandy dental patient

This is the response we have received over and over since beginning to offer oral sedation dentistry. Imagine waking up and discovering that your dental appointment is over-and all the corrections are in place, painlessly. We understand that fear is a big reason people avoid dentists - and the opportunity to make dental corrections before things get even worse. Now our office has the technology to treat the most anxious patients in a truly painless, effective way.

Here's what's involved: After an initial consultation, we'll schedule you to take a medication (Triazolam) in pill form just before your visit, no IV needles necessary. You'll need a friend to help you to and from your appointment safely as you will be comfortable, but you can't drive. When you arrive, you'll be awake but drowsy. Most importantly, you'll be relaxed and usually will remember very little of the appointment (snoring included!).

Triazolam is a medication in the benzodiazepine class. Benzodiazepines have sedative properties, meaning they relax the patient, and have hypnotic properties. Valium is in this class of drugs, however Triazolam is a much faster acting, more potent anti-anxiety drug. Triazolam has anterograde amnesia properties that often make the patient not remember the appointment. After the appointment you will be driven home by a responsible adult will usually sleep for several hours after the appointment. When you wake up the appointment will seem like a fuzzy dream, but your dental work is real!

While you're in the chair our team will monitor your vital signs such as blood pressure and blood oxygen saturation. You'll be thoroughly relaxed and won't feel a thing. Best of all, we can accomplish most of your dentistry at one time so you won't have to come back several times! You can choose Sedation Dentistry for everything from simple procedures such as fillings, to complicated root canals, extractions or any other treatment you may need.

It's true. You can have your dental work completed without effort, no anxiety. It's a simple pill to put you at ease. The only thing you need is a ride.

Many patients after just a few visits with sedation are able to overcome their previous fear of dentists and will begin to receive routine exams and cleanings without the need for sedation. However, the option is always there for patients who dread the dentist to finally have what they've always wanted: to be "out of it" during their appointment.

If you have a family member or friend that has a real phobia of dentists, but needs dental work, please call for a free sedation consultation. We will begin by simply talking about what we can offer for sedation and possible dental work. If the patient is feeling OK, we may proceed to X-rays, a comprehensive exam, and formulate a plan with priorities. All questions will be answered and a treatment appointment will be scheduled along with sedation instructions. We at Smiles on Sandy have had many amazed patients who thought they just could not bear to go to another dentist to receive treatment they needed. Yet after a few visits that they hardly remember, they have played "catch-up" for missed dental treatment and are now in a simple maintenance phase of good oral health. Call today for a free sedation consultation.