Nitrous oxide is a mild sedative administered in gas form, most commonly used for dental treatment. Nitrous oxide is especially helpful if you find dental treatments stressful but not terrifying. If you have a true dental phobia or extreme anxiety, nitrous oxide might not be strong enough for you.
One of the greatest advantages to nitrous oxide is that it does not have any lingering affect. This means that you can resume your normal activities immediately following treatment, which is very convenient for most people.
If you have trouble getting numb after multiple shots of Novocain, nitrous oxide just might be the answer. Some patients simply cannot relax enough to allow the Novocain to take effect – in many of these cases, nitrous oxide provides just enough of a “push” to allow the Novocain to take effect.
There is no need to “suffer in silence” or live in dread of your next cleaning appointment – talk to Dr. LaVacca and his team about which sedation dentistry techniques might help you. Click here to call our office, or use our online Make an Appointment form.