Sedation

At Implant & Periodontal Therapy, we pride ourselves on providing a great patient experience for all our patients, and an important part of that is making sure our patients are comfortable during the procedure. We know that many people are anxious about dental work, but rest assured that we have all the options available when it comes to sedation. We would be happy to go through all the sedation options with you at your examination, to allow for the best option for you individual situation. 

Nitrous Oxide Sedation

Administered through a small mask, nitrous oxide sedation (commonly called laughing gas) is an extremely safe and effective method of sedation that works to help reduce anxiety in many dental patients.  In addition to its calming effects on the dental patient, the other benefits of nitrous oxide sedation method include:

• short recovery time

• short duration of onset

The clinical department at Implant and Periodontal Therapy have been thoroughly trained on when and how to administer nitrous oxide.

Oral Sedation

An effective method of conscious sedation that involves the administration of oral sedative drugs. This method utilizes drugs from the benzodiazepine class, which enhance the effect of the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid that result in sedative, hypnotic, anxiolytic, anticonvulsant, muscle relaxant and amnesic states.

This method follows the ADA sedation guidelines and is greatly effective for patients who:

• experience anxiety during dental procedures

• have prior dental trauma

• have belonephobia (fear of needles and sharp instruments)

The medications that are commonly used are Valium and Halcion. These medications allow you to relax, and many people don't remember all the procedure afterwards. We can discuss the benefits of this type of sedation at your upcoming appointment. 

Intravenous (IV Sedation)

IV sedation is the most effective means of anxiety relief that can be performed in the dental office. It is performed with Dr. Rasmussen administering the sedative medications directly into the bloodstream using an IV line. Although you will likely be awake during the procedure, it greatly reduces anxiety. It is very unlikely that you will remember the procedure afterwards, which is one of the effects of the medication that patients appreciate. It is an extremely effective method to alleviate pain and reduce anxiety at the same time. 

One of the advantages is that adjustments in the dosage can be made quickly, so we can adapt to each patient's individual needs. We will make sure you are comfortable throughout the entire procedure, and of course use monitoring equipment to ensure patient safety at all times. 

To ensure the most optimal state of care, the clinical department closely monitors the patient’s breathing and blood pressure. Special monitoring equipment is also used such as the EKG monitoring device with the pulse oximeter. All staff members at Implant & Periodontal Therapy are ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support) trained and certified.