SEDATION DENTISTRY IRVINE

Do You Have A Fear Of Going To The Dentist?

Effective

Safe

Simple

Feel Confident in Your Smile in Just 3 Steps

Request Appointment

1. Schedule a Consultation

Schedule an in-person or virtual consultation to receive a personalized treatment plan to achieve your goals which we can begin in your next visit.

Receive Treatment

2. Set Your Smile Goals

What about your smile causes you to feel a lack of confidence? Determine what you want to change that could help you improve your confidence.

Achieve Confidence

3. Achieve Confidence

After your treatments are complete, you will have a smile that is healthier, more functional, more beautiful that brings you confidence.

What Is Sedation Dentistry?

Sedation dentistry at our Irvine dental office feels like a catnap. With oral sedation you are not unconscious, but you are pleasantly “dozing” in a half waking, half dream state. Most of our patients report feeling unaware enough to be calm and relaxed, with little or no memory of the treatment performed. You will be able to respond to instructions and communicate if needed. Because tension increases your discomfort, you will likely experience less discomfort after an appointment than your previous dental experiences. Your vital signs are constantly monitored with our high level of medical devices and systems.

As more people learn about the benefits of sedation dentistry, they return to the dentist with peace of mind and confidence that their oral health remains a priority.

Man with short brown beard wearing a green sweater, displaying a happy smile

Who Is a Candidate for Sedation Dentistry?

Sedation dentistry in Irvine is right for anyone who wants the dental care they need without the pain or fear they have come to expect. It is also perfect for those who need to accomplish a lot of work, but don’t have time for numerous appointments.

Sedation dentistry can help people who experience:

  • Dental fear or anxiety
  • Negative reactions to certain sounds or smells in the dentist’s office
  • Discomfort from sitting in the dental chair or holding their mouth open
  • Difficulty sitting through long dental treatments
  • Strong gag reactions
  • Specific anxiety brought on by certain procedures
  • Inability to get numb with typical dental anesthesia
  • Excess pain during or after a dental visit
  • Sore jaw, stiff neck, or other tense muscles from a dental visit
  • Difficulty sleeping before a dental appointment
  • Dental fear or anxiety
  • Negative reactions to certain sounds or smells in the dentist’s office
  • Discomfort from sitting in the dental chair or holding their mouth open
  • Difficulty sitting through long dental treatments
  • Strong gag reactions
  • Specific anxiety brought on by certain procedures
  • Inability to get numb with typical dental anesthesia
  • Excess pain during or after a dental visit
  • Sore jaw, stiff neck, or other tense muscles from a dental visit
  • Difficulty sleeping before a dental appointment

Types of Sedation Dentistry

Sedation Dentistry Types

Oral Conscious Sedation

At Rice Dentistry, we have multiple sedation approaches, including, Oral Sedation, Nitrous oxide sedation and IV sedation. Our most common technique is oral conscious sedation. With oral conscious sedation in Irvine, you’ll take a pill that induces a relaxed state before you come to our office. You’ll be conscious and able to respond to questions and requests by the dentist, but you’ll be immune to the things that cause anxiety at the dentist. Not only that, but you won’t remember most of your appointment, so you won’t have your anxiety reinforced by negative experiences.

Young woman with wavy hair wearing a stocking hat, highlighting her enhanced smile

Benefits

Oral conscious sedation is the most popular type of sedation dentistry because it offers patients many advantages, including:

  • It’s just a pill, so it’s very easy to take
  • No needles or masks
  • Can help you relax before you come to the office
  • It is effective for most people
  • It is safe for most people
  • It’s long-lasting
  • It’s inexpensive
  • It causes you to forget the appointment
  • It’s just a pill, so it’s very easy to take
  • No needles or masks
  • Can help you relax before you come to the office
  • It is effective for most people
  • It is safe for most people
  • It’s long-lasting
  • It’s inexpensive
  • It causes you to forget the appointment

We will monitor you closely and increase your dose if needed, to make sure you are completely relaxed and comfortable with proceeding.

Oral conscious sedation in Irvine, CA, is an ideal sedation option for moderate to severe anxiety towards dental treatment and for those with a fear of needles. Of course, we will make sure that it is medically appropriate for you. people who are allergic to the medications used are not good candidates. Some drugs may also interact negatively with sedation drugs. So, if you have liver or kidney problems, oral conscious sedation medication may not be the right choice.

Call (949) 551-5902 or make an appointment online to learn more about oral conscious sedation.

Young woman with wavy golden hair wearing a tan jean jacket, folding her arms, showcasing her improved smile

Nitrous Oxide (Laughing Gas)

Nitrous oxide (N2O) is a colorless, odorless gas that has been used for dental sedation and pain relief since the 18th century. It can be added onto just about any dental procedure on request. The gas is delivered through a soft nosepiece and provides relaxing effects within a few minutes. When your treatment is complete, the nitrous gas is turned off and the sedative effect wears off. You will be fully recovered and can drive yourself to and from the appointment.

Laughing gas stimulates certain modulators in the spinal cord that reduce the transmission of pain signals. It produces sedation by the same mechanism as benzodiazepines, the most common oral conscious sedation medication.

Benefits & Drawbacks

Nitrous oxide has many potential benefits for sedation dentistry patients, including:

  • Reduction or elimination of dental anxiety
  • Additional reduction of pain
  • Encourages positive associations with a dental visit
  • Has immediate effect (effective within five minutes)
  • Can be continued as long as necessary
  • Wears off quickly (people recover within five minutes)
  • Reduction or elimination of dental anxiety
  • Additional reduction of pain
  • Encourages positive associations with a dental visit
  • Has immediate effect (effective within five minutes)
  • Can be continued as long as necessary
  • Wears off quickly (people recover within five minutes)

Because of these benefits, it is often described as being an ideal sedation dentistry solution, but there are some factors to consider that make it less than perfect. Some of the reasons why this is not perfect for everyone include the following:

  • Can’t relieve anxiety before dental appointment
  • Offers only mild sedation—may not be adequate for you
  • Not ideal for long appointments over 2 hours.
  • Some people do not like the euphoric effect
  • It isn’t appropriate for people with respiratory problems
  • Can’t relieve anxiety before dental appointment
  • Offers only mild sedation—may not be adequate for you
  • Not ideal for long appointments over 2 hours.
  • Some people do not like the euphoric effect
  • It isn’t appropriate for people with respiratory problems

Despite its drawbacks, inhaled sedation makes sense for many people. Talk to a sedation dentist in Irvine about nitrous oxide as an option to overcome your anxiety.

Nitrous oxide is also generally safe, but it’s not a good choice for people with respiratory problems that can be triggered by irritation from the gas. If you have compromised health or certain nutrient deficiencies, nitrous oxide may not be the right choice. In addition, people with generally low blood oxygen levels are probably not good candidates for nitrous oxide.

Intravenous (IV) Sedation

Intravenous – or IV – sedation involves the administration of a sedative medication directly into your bloodstream intravenously. The deepest type of dental sedation available, this type of sedation is often referred to as “twilight sleep.”

A thin needle is gently placed inside your vein through your hand or arm. If you are not thrilled at the thought of needles, your Irvine sedation dentist may apply a numbing cream before administering the medication, making the sedation process more comfortable. The local anesthetic injections are given after you are sedated.

Man with short brown beard wearing a blue flannel shirt, highlighting his enhanced smile

Benefits & Drawbacks

Intravenous sedation has many potential benefits for sedation dentistry patients, including:

  • Fast-acting – feel relaxed and comfortable in less time
  • A good option for more serious or multiple dental procedures
  • If you have serious medical risk factors, IV sedation may be your only option. Our anesthesiologist monitors your every vital sign and is ready for any possible complications
  • A deeper level of sedation than other methods
  • Little or no memory of the procedure
  • Dosage can be easily adjusted
  • Fast-acting – feel relaxed and comfortable in less time
  • A good option for more serious or multiple dental procedures
  • A deeper level of sedation than other methods
  • If you have serious medical risk factors, IV sedation may be your only option. Our anesthesiologist monitors your every vital sign and is ready for any possible complications
  • Little or no memory of the procedure
  • Dosage can be easily adjusted

One of the main drawbacks of IV dental sedation is the additional cost of having an MD anesthesiologist with you throughout the appointment.

The cost of IV sedation may be prohibitive for some. At Rice Dentistry, IV sedation is done by one of our highly qualified MD anesthesiologists. The anesthesiologist’s time, skill and expertise increases the cost of IV sedation.

Intravenous sedation in Irvine is a viable option for those who need a deeper level of sedation. Talk to a sedation dentist in Irvine about IV sedation as one of your options for successfully counteracting your dental anxiety.

Your experienced Irvine sedation dentist will monitor your vital signs while using IV sedation to ensure your safety and well-being. If you are afraid of needles, have respiratory issues, high blood pressure, or are pregnant, this dental sedation may not be the right choice for you.
Is Sedation Dentistry Safe

Is Sedation Dentistry Safe?

Sedation dentistry is a highly safe approach to calming your dental anxiety so you can get important dental procedures and/or the cosmetic dentistry you desire. It’s so safe that healthy adults don’t really have to worry about the risks other than making sure they know if they are allergic to the type of medication used and follow the instructions of their sedation dentist.

Before we perform any sedation dentistry, we’ll make sure to get a full medical history so we know of any health concerns that may affect your candidacy for sedation.

How to Choose a Sedation Dentist

Sedation dentistry is very safe when used properly, but as with all medications, the risk can increase if a dentist is not properly trained. You want to ensure your dentist has received training in sedation dentistry in Irvine, CA, and has considerable experience in using the technique with his patients.

Dr. Scott Rice, Irvine Cosmetic Dentist
Dr. Taylor Rice, Irvine Cosmetic Dentist
Dr. Nicolas Ravon, Irvine Periodontist

Meet Your Experienced Irvine Sedation Dentists:

Dr. Scott Rice, Dr. Taylor Rice, and Dr. Nicolas Ravon of Rice Dentistry

Why Do We Fear the Dentist?

Dental fear is very common. Ninety million people in the U.S. don’t see a dentist due to their fear – but another one million patients can now visit their dentist comfortably and confidently due to dental sedation in Irvine, CA.

Your dental anxiety and fear are not unfounded. It turns out there are many potential causes of dental fear:

1. Pain

Many who experience dental fear, fear the potential pain that may come with a dental appointment. They worry that even a check-up could come with significant discomfort. You can be sure that your Irvine dentist takes every precaution to ensure your comfort and not cause undue pain.

2. Loss of control

People can feel as if they aren’t in control when they’re at the dental office. That’s why it’s so important to choose a dentist you can trust.

3. Previous bad experiences

Some with dental fear had bad experiences with a dentist as a child or young adult. Often this was with older dentists who might have been practicing dentistry that seems quite ancient compared with today’s practices.

4. Trauma and stress

Many with dental fear have been generally hurt in their lives which makes visiting the dentist challenging. You may be a soldier suffering from PTSD, a car accident survivor, a victim of domestic violence, or someone who suffered abuse as a child. You could also have psychological conditions that are responsible for your anxiety.

5. Embarrassment

People may feel uncomfortable going to the dentist because their mouth is a very intimate part of their body, and they don’t like the thought of having a dentist work on it. You may also feel embarrassed because of poor oral health. This is a self-fulfilling prophecy. The more embarrassed a person is, the more they avoid the dentist, and the more they avoid the dentist, the more embarrassed they are about the state of their teeth. Also, many patients are worried about the cost – as a recent survey showed that 44% of the individuals not seeing a dentist were doing so because they do not have dental insurance.

There is a simple solution – visit your Irvine sedation dentist regularly to avoid feeling embarrassed about your teeth!

Relieve Dental Anxiety in Irvine, CA

Member of DOCS Education logo

Relieve Your Dental Anxiety

Request an appointment at Rice Dentistry located in Irvine by filling out the form below.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.