Sedation Dentistry

Oral Conscious Sedation (“Twilight Sedation”)

Our office offers our patients the option of Oral Sedation, also referred to as “Twilight Sedation,” for their dental treatment.

Oral Sedation helps you to be comfortable and calm when undergoing dental procedures. Your treatment can be completed for you under sedation, if you so desire. Oral Sedation is designed to better enable you undergo your dental procedures while you are very relaxed. It will enable you to tolerate as well as not remember those procedures that may be very uncomfortable for you.  Oral Sedation will essentially help alleviate the anxiety associated with your treatment. You will not be asleep but you will be comfortable, calm and relaxed, drifting in and out.

If you choose the option of  sedation your  sedation/anesthesia is administered and monitored by Drs. State or Pham, therefore eliminating the costly expense of having your treatment carried out in an operating room or same-day surgical facility.

How is the Oral Sedation Administered?

A specific combination of medications will be prescribed by Drs. State or Pham for you to take the night before and/or prior to your appointment.  You will also bring the remaining prescribed medications and sedatives to your appointment. Some patients may only be lightly sedated while others will slip in and out of sleep.

Oral sedation is very safe! Once again, all modalities are administered and monitored by Dr. State in the safety and comfort of our office environment. Sedation dentistry is also a great option for the elderly, the disabled, or simply- the fearful!

Sedation Dentistry for the Elderly

As we age, our oral health becomes more important than ever. Periodontal disease can lead to bone and tooth loss, which affects nearly every part of our daily lives. To lead full and active lives, we need our teeth and gums. They allow us enjoy food, support speech and good conversation, and facilitate digestion. Dr. State is dedicated to treating elderly patients with care and commitment to comfort and health.

Elderly patients as a group tend to avoid dental visits for a variety of reasons, including: more pressing medical concerns, anxiety about treatment, the hardship of transportation, or fixed incomes. Once their oral health has reached an unmanageable point, fear and embarrassment further keep these patients away from the dentist.

For elderly patients embarrassed or fearful of their current oral state, sedation dentistry provides the opportunity for Dr. State to treat these conditions while the patient remains relaxed!

Sedation Dentistry for the Disabled

It may be especially difficult for people with disabilities to obtain access to proper dental care. They must find a dentist who is skilled and compassionate, and who can provide services for which some dentists may not be qualified. At Drs. State or Pham‘s office, we provide the expertise, state-of-the-art-equipment, and dedication to assisting special-needs patients necessary to ensuring great oral care for our patients.

Disabled patients may face added challenges in maintaining their oral health. Their disability may make it difficult to brush or floss regularly; they may also suffer a severe gag reflex, or dry mouth as a result of medication. Dr. State meets these challenges with sedation dentistry for the disabled. He is skilled in anesthesia for special-needs patients, and can ease the fear associated with out-of-control oral hygiene with one visit. 

Sedation Dentistry for the Fearful 

Dental phobia is a real, often overwhelming reality for thousands of people. Negative previous dental experiences, fear of needles or drills, and severe gag reflexes are just some of the reasons people feel extreme anxiety when thinking about visiting the dentist.

If you suffer from dental phobia- fear no more! Drs. State or Pham is committed to understanding the very real nature of your fears. Not only will our staff treat you with delicacy and care, but oral sedation will allow you to experience dentistry in a whole new way. While engaging in a pleasant sleeplike experience, Dr. State will be hard at work making sure you “wake up” with the results you desire.