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At Landmark Dental, our mission is to help fearful patients receive the care they both need and want by first treating their anxiety and then their teeth. That’s we offer sedation dentistry to help you feel relaxed so we can work.
Before you visit, you may have a variety of questions about sedation. You can read some of our most commonly asked ones below. If you have further questions, we are more than happy to answer them when you call our office at 781-688-0248.
What is sedation and what kinds do you offer?
Sedation dentistry is also called sleep dentistry. You won’t actually be asleep, but when we provide you with sedation, you will feel very sleepy, comfortable, and pain-free while we provide you with the treatment you need. Sedation is effective and extremely safe. Our team has specially trained to offer you sedation and closely monitors your progress during your dental treatment.
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At Landmark Dental, we can provide you with the following types of sedation:
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Local Anesthesia
Local anesthesia is one of the most frequently used. Used to numb the area being worked on, Dr. Livshin can give it to you by injection or swabbing a topical anesthetic gel on the injection site. Depending on the type and amount, you may feel numb for as little as five minutes up to three hours after your treatment.
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Nitrous Oxide (Laughing Gas)
With nitrous oxide, we place a small inhaler over your nose. At first, this provides pure oxygen for you to breath. After a few minutes, we’ll introduce nitrous oxide into the oxygen flow. Most patients say that nitrous makes them feel light-headed and comfortably warm throughout the appointment.
While we treat you, you’ll be completely conscious. Dr. Livshin or our team will ask you questions about how you feel, so we can adjust the flow of nitrous. At the end of our treatment, we’ll give you oxygen again and after we’re done, you can leave Landmark Dental feeling clear-headed.
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Oral Sedation
If you don’t want to remember your visit or if we need to perform complex treatments, we may provide oral sedation. Before your dental appointment, we prescribe a sedative. You should take this an hour before your visit. Someone will need to accompany you to our office, as you will be very drowsy when you arrive. From there, we will escort you to our operatory and place you on a monitor to watch your vital signs. While you won’t be completely unconscious, you probably won’t realize when the appointment has started. Once complete, your companion can escort you home to relax.
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IV Anesthesia/General Anesthesia
Intravenous anesthesia is a controlled state of pain free unconsciousness for those patients who prefer to maximize their comfort and have absolutely no awareness during their dental treatment. Medication given intravenously (IV) produces its effect rapidly, which allows the anesthesiologist to titrate the precise amount needed for each individual patient. General anesthesia is delivered by a combination of intravenous and inhalational agents and the route and depth of an anesthetic will depend on the patient's current health status and that of the patient's needs.
We utilize the anesthesia services of Dr. Patrick McCarty for IV and general anesthesia. Dr. McCarty is Board Certified as a Diplomat of the American Dental Board of Anesthesiology & the National Dental Board of Anesthesiology. In addition, he is a member of the Anesthesia Staff at the Franciscan Hospital for Children, serves as a Clinical Assistant Professor at the Boston University Goldman School of Dental Medicine Department of Pediatric Dentistry and as a Visiting Instructor at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery.
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Is sedation safe?
Yes, sedation is safe and works well. Before we can give you any sedation, however, we need to discuss your medical history with you. We will ask whether you or anyone in your family has had difficulty with sedation or anesthetics. We also want to know if you are pregnant, taking steroids, or on any medication.
Who is a good candidate for sedation?
If you have had a past traumatic dental experience, difficulty becoming numb, a bad gag reflex, very sensitive teeth, or complex dental problems, sedation might be right for you. Sedation eliminates anxiety by helping patients stay calm and relaxed. Most patients have little to no memory of the dental procedure. If you need extensive or complex dental treatments, sedation may reduce the number of appointments necessary to accomplish your treatment plan. Finally, by helping patients decrease their overall anxiety, many patients don’t need sedation during their next visit.
If I need treatment and want sedation, what happens during the initial visit?
When you schedule a visit with Dr. Livshin, we will first have you come to our practice for a consultation appointment. During this visit, Dr. Livshin will review your medical history, measure your vital signs, evaluate if you are a good candidate for sedation, and discuss the options you have to achieve the level of relaxation that will make your experience in the dental office very pleasant.
