Sedation Dentistry

How can we help you get the care you need??

Carmel Family Dental can now offer sedation.


It is no secret that most of us do not like going to the dentist. In fact, many people go years without even a check-up or cleaning.


  • Some reasons for avoiding the dentist include:

    • Fear of needles, drills, or other dental instruments
    • Past traumatic dental experiences
    • Sensitive teeth and/or difficulty getting numb
    • Discomfort with the smells, noises, and tastes that accompany dental work

    Fortunately, in this day and age these issues are no longer a reason to avoid the dentist. With sedation dentistry, patients are able to have a comfortable, anxiety-free experience while having their dental work performed.

What is sedation dentistry?

Sedation dentistry has been around for over 100 years, and has continued to evolve over the last 40 years as more options are made available to patients. In order to perform sedation, dentists are required to become accredited and complete additional training. However, its widespread acceptance and use has come about more slowly than medical sedation.

While it is common practice to be sedated by doctors for medical procedures, for some time there has been the misconception that routine dental work is not uncomfortable enough to justify the use of sedation. Fortunately, dental sedation is now used worldwide. It has proven to be a safe and effective option for a variety of patients and procedures.


Depending on the extent of the work being done and the needs of the individual patient, we offer nitrous oxide. 

  • Nitrous Oxide

    Also known as inhalation sedation or “laughing gas,” this is one step up from the oral sedative. A mask is placed over the patient's nose, and the flow level is adjusted by the dentist until the patient is comfortable. One advantage of this method is that as soon as the dental work is complete, the patient receives 100% oxygen and the feeling of sedation is gone within a few minutes.