Patient Forms 
We are the Central Valley’s only dental office to offer treatment with an MD anesthesiologist. Click here for more information.
Dr. Smith realizes that there are many different procedures that require many different levels of sedation. Many patients will use one type of sedation for one procedure and a different type of sedation for another. This is why it is so important to explain everything in the initial visit. That way we make sure that the patient is properly relaxed and prepared for everything we are doing. Here are the different ways that each type of sedation in administered.
Laughing Gas
This is a mild form of sedation that makes the patient feel as though they had a couple glasses of wine during the procedure. Every operatory is equipped with a simple hookup for nitrous oxide, even the hygiene rooms. The patient merely breathes the gas to get the desired effect. The level of the gas is easily adjusted to make the patient as comfortable as possible. After the procedure, there is no lingering after effect. The patient is able to legally drive home making this a very convenient and popular form of sedation.
Single Pill With Laughing Gas
This is a simple way to allow the patient to get their dental work done in a moderately relaxed state. The patient is given one pill about an hour before the appointment. This will make them mildly relaxed. When they arrive in the office, we will then administer the nitrous oxide. This will get them a little more relaxed. This is a very popular option for cleaning visits or for minor procedures.
IV Sedation with an Anesthesiologist
The patient will usually take a pill about an hour before the procedure to get them into a relaxed state. They come back to the dental chair and they are greeted by warm blankets. The MD anesthesiologist then starts your IV, safely puts you to sleep, and gently wakes you up when the procedure is over. Dr. Smith will call to check on you and make sure your recovery is going as planned.
There are four important advantages to having an MD anesthesiologist at our office assisting in your sedation.
1.Since dentistry is one of the few professions where the dentist is legally allowed to do the surgery and perform the sedation, you may find that the dentist is multitasking in other dental offices. At our office, the anesthesiologist has his full focus on the patient’s sedation and comfort while the dentist, Dr. Smith is focusing on your dental surgery and treatment.
2. A dentist who has taken classes in sedation does not have as much training as an MD anesthesiologist in sedating people. You as the patient are in much safer hands with an anesthesiologist in our office.
3. Since dentists have much less training in sedation than an anesthesiologist, a dentist is only legally able to perform “conscious sedation” (which means the patient must be able to respond to verbal commands during the procedure). The result is that patients in those offices will sometimes have memories of the procedure. In our office, with an MD anesthesiologist, deep sedation is given and there is no chance of waking up during the procedure.
4. An MD anesthesiologist uses propofol for sedation. Other dentists with conscious sedation permits cannot use this drug and generally use a combination of other drugs that often cause nausea and vomiting after the procedure. Recovery from propofol is much easier for the patient. There is almost no nausea or sickness.
In Fresno, there are only a few dentists who are licensed to perform Intravenous Sedation. The training and licensing required to do IV sedation are extensive, so most dentists who advertise “Sedation Dentistry” are only using a pill to mildly sedate or relax people.
