Oral Sedation Vs Laughing Gas

Which is better: oral sedation or laughing gas? That depends on a variety of factors, including the type of dental treatment, your level of dental anxiety or fear, your dental and medical history, and your personal preference.

In a dental consultation, after talking to you about the treatment you need and your concerns, we can make a recommendation for which type of sedation would be best fit for you. If needed, we also offer IV sedation (general anesthesia).

Oral Sedation (also known as “conscious sedation”)
With oral sedation, you take a pill, and that’s it! You’re not completely unconscious during the appointment, but time passes quickly and you’ll be less aware of the smells, sights, and sounds around you. After your dental appointment, you’ll remember little, if anything. Oral sedation can be a great alternative to IV sedation, and is a step above laughing gas. With oral sedation, you will need someone to drive you home from your dental appointment.

Laughing Gas (also known as “nitrous oxide)
Laughing gas has been used in dental offices since the 1800s, and it can be a very effective form of sedation, just enough for some people, with certain procedures. We can use laughing gas for dental cleanings, as well as other types of dental treatments and procedures. With many dental treatments, we’ll also use Novocain, as a numbing agent.

We can administer our laughing gas through a scented nosepiece, and it should help you relax and maybe even make you feel giddy (thus the name). Once your dental procedure is completed, we switch over to 100% oxygen, to bring you back to alertness. With laughing gas, you can drive yourself home from your dental appointment.

For information about oral sedation vs laughing gas, or to schedule a dental consultation or dental appointment, call us:
Denver / Centennial – near I-25 and Dry Creek, in Centennial, please call (303) 309-0749

Sedation Dentist Near Me
Our sedation dental office is near you if you live or work in: Centennial, Highlands Ranch, Lone Tree, southeast Aurora, Parker, Denver Tech Center, Meridian, Inverness, or Park Meadows.