Sedation Dentistry

Being apprehensive of the dentist is nothing to be embarrassed about. We treat many patients who experience high levels of anxiety while in the dental chair. The good news is that you can get the treatment you need without having to endure a racing heart, sweaty skin, or butterflies in your stomach.

Westover Hills Family Dental is proud to offer anxious patients an alternative to fearful dental experiences. Sedation dentistry is a method of using FDA-approved medication to induce a calm, relaxed state. You can use sedation dentistry during any type of treatment, including routine general dentistry checkups as well as smile-enhancing cosmetic dentistry procedures.

Sedation dentistry has become very popular in San Antonio because it offers several benefits for both the patient and the dentist. For some patient groups, the use of sedation dentistry is actually the only way that they can get the dental care they need and improve their dental health. Dental sedation can offer:

Teeth whitening involves a chemical reaction that penetrates the enamel of the teeth to bleach stains below the surface. Hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide may be used. In either case, these chemicals work their way into the porous parts of the enamel to bleach stain deposits in the dentin, which is the layer just below the enamel. Teeth whitening at a dental office is hastened through the use of special lights that accelerate the bleaching process.

For those patients with strongest fears, largest cases, and those who are medically compromised: We use Intravenous (IV) Sedation with a combination of drugs administered by a Dental Anesthesiologist, which makes you “dream-like” sleepy and totally unaware of the treatment. We often give you an anti-anxiety pill to help you sleep the night before your dental appointment and then an hour before your appointment so you come in very relaxed.

For those patients with stronger fear and larger cases: We use Oral Conscious Sedation using different sedative pills often in combination with nitrous oxide gas, which makes you very sleepy and very unaware of the treatment, as when you are just nodding off to sleep. We often give you an anti-anxiety pill to help you sleep the night before your dental appointment and then an hour before your appointment so you come in very relaxed.

For those patients with mild fear and smaller cases: We use Nitrous Oxide Gas, which makes you unaware of the treatment, as if you were relaxing. After a health history and pre-clinical vital signs are recorded, we cover you with a warm, snug blanket, and offer you music earphones. After treatment, you can safely drive, study, work, relax, or exercise. You will have a reduced memory of the experience.

Prior to your sedation dentistry appointment, you don’t eat or drink the few hours prior. Your companion drives you to our Houston office in comfortable clothes. After a health history and pre-clinical vital signs are recorded, we cover you with a warm, snug blanket and offer you music earphones. When your treatment is completed, your companion will return you home to finish your comfortable, relaxing day. You will have no memory of the experience, including any sounds or smells.

Nitrous oxide and the drugs we use have a long track record of safety. A thorough pre-op health history, blood pressure, pulse, and respiration is taken on each patient. On oral conscious sedation and IV cases we use monitors to keep up with blood oxygen level, blood pressure, and pulse.

Our staff have extensive training in nitrous oxide, oral conscious sedation, and emergency life support techniques in accordance with the Texas State Board of Dental Examiners. All necessary emergency equipment, drugs, oxygen, and supplies are on hand.

No patient is rendered unconscious as with general anesthesia. All IV sedation is administered by a dental anesthesiologist doctor with years of advanced anesthesia and emergency training. We have a full crash cart for IV cases.