Nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas, is a mild analgesic that creates a euphoric sensation when inhaled. This effect can allow patients with mild anxieties or trouble being comfortable to more thoroughly enjoy coming to the dentist. However, because stronger forms of sedation exist, some people wonder why Arlington Comfort Dental would recommend laughing gas from among its sedation options.
Nitrous sedation offers different advantages from other sedations, allowing patients who only need mild relaxation to more thoroughly enjoy their visit without additional complications.
Consistently Effective
Among the sedation options that are stronger than nitrous, the most commonly used is oral conscious sedation; our practice also provides this medication in certain circumstances. By taking muscle relaxant pills an hour before your procedure, you enter a deep state of relaxation that lasts throughout your appointment, although not deep enough to make you unconscious. However, this form of sedation requires a careful measurement of the pill dosage. For patients with a quick metabolism or high tolerance, there is a risk of not being given a high enough dosage, causing the relaxed state to end too soon during the appointment.
Nitrous oxide, by contrast, is processed by the body so quickly that it can be applied at different dosages as needed throughout your appointment. This enables the effects of nitrous to be consistently present during your appointment, so the sedation does not end too soon or last too long.
Resume Your Daily Life
In order to make sure that you do not metabolize the relaxant too quickly, oral conscious sedation is applied at a high enough dosage that the effects often linger after the appointment. As a result, patients need someone to drive them to and from the appointment. Stronger forms of sedation, for which we refer out, will cause twilight consciousness for an extended period of time. As such, the need to be escorted to and from your appointments still applies.
By receiving nitrous instead of other forms of sedation, you can experience a relaxed visit at our Arlington Heights comfort dentist without making these complicated arrangements. Because nitrous is processed by the body quickly, there are no adverse side effects to using it during your appointment. Any euphoric sensation stops shortly after the application of laughing gas is halted; you can safely drive home or go back to work when your appointment ends.
Contact Us for Nitrous Sedation in Arlington Heights, IL
Arlington Comfort Dental provides sedation, primarily nitrous oxide, to patients in Arlington Heights, Buffalo Grove, Palatine, and the surrounding communities. For more information, or to schedule an appointment, call our office today!