Sedation & Anesthesia Dentistry

oral localized sedation dentistry
Level 1

Oral and Localized Sedation

Most patients are familiar with basic sedation. Typically, patients with mild anxiety are offered some combination of oral sedatives, nitrous oxide, and a local anesthesia (like novacaine). The local anesthesia numbs a particular area of the mouth, while the other methods induce a mild calming sensation.

Many dentists are only able to offer this level of sedation. For our patients with more severe difficulty, we offer IV sedation and general anesthesia.

Level 2

Intravenous (Iv) Sedation

Intravenous (IV) sedation provides a fast-acting sedative through a vein in your arm. While you won’t remember the procedure afterward, you do remain awake and able to respond to commands. IV sedation is typically used during wisdom teeth extraction or while receiving a dental implant. Patients with higher levels of anxiety may opt for IV sedation to mitigate the stress response of a dental visit.

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Level 3

General Anesthesia

General anesthesia provides a completely unconscious experience for the patient. Some patients, due to medical or developmental issues, cannot tolerate any conscious dental work. When we use general anesthesia on our patients, we include a board-certified medical anesthesiologist for the duration of your treatment. You’ll sleep through the entire procedure, and wake up infection-free, with a brand new smile.

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Our Associates

We partner with the very best to provide you with exceptional care. Scroll down to meet our medical anesthesiologist, our experienced nurse, and our contracted dental laboratory.

Registered Nurses

When a patient requires sedation, we always include a registered nurse. The level of in-office care that you’ll receive at the Center for Dental Rehabilitation is equivalent to a hospital operating room. We’ve designed our practice for hospital-level care in an outpatient facility.

Medical Anesthesiologists

We partner with medical anesthesiologists for your safety. At no time during any procedure should an anesthesiologist’s attention be anywhere but on your vital statistics. Our highly-trained team works expediently to limit the length of time our patients need to be sedated.

Exceptional Dental Laboratories

Because many of our patients require hospital dentistry — a fully anesthetized experience provided by a board-certified medical anesthesiologist — we take extra care to make sure your work is done properly the first time. To this end, we work closely with Lafayette Dental Laboratory to ensure a perfect fit.

Board Certified Medical Anesthesiologist:

Dr. Tim Smith

I’ve been working with Dr. Toal for over twenty years. I provide anesthesia care, she provides dental care. We serve a wide range of patients. These are patients that might be dental-phobics, or for whatever reason they haven’t been to the dentist for ten to twenty years. They have multiple dental problems that require extensive work. Or we might have patients with very extensive medical histories that aren’t able to receive care in a traditional dental office.

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Level One Trauma Registered Nurse:

Nurse Bits Schaedel

I’ve been a nurse for 38 years. What makes Dr. Toal’s office unique is her diverse patient population. Our patients range from dental phobics to those with extreme medical disabilities—they don’t have the ability to lay in a chair, or they can’t tolerate the duration that a restorative dental session would take. The exciting thing is when they come back for repeat visits—you can see the trust they’ve developed in Dr. Toal because she does what she says she’s going to do.

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Exceptional Dental Fittings:

Lafayette Dental Laboratory

I’m Sean Marchal, the owner of Lafayette Dental Lab. We’ve been working with Dr. Maureen Toal for over eight years. We focus on complex restorative cases. Because most of Dr. Toal’s patients are under some form of anesthesia, she requires that all of our work be done to the highest level. At Lafayette Dental Lab, we spend a lot of time training our technicians and providing continuing education. We also work under high powered microscopes so that the fit and finish of all of our products is to the highest level that Dr. Toal requires.

“ When you come in, you don’t have to worry about anything. Everyone here makes you feel comfortable. They’re very compassionate, and very detailed in everything that they’re going to do. You know ahead of time what you’re going to go through when you see Dr. Toal. Whether it’s just a cleaning, like I have, or being fully sedated, like when I bring Maggie. It’s total, complete, comprehensive care. ”

– Patient and Mother of a Medically Compromised Patient

“ You did a great job treating her. The care, the compassion you gave her. And having the anesthesiologist there, I didn’t have to worry about anything while I was in the waiting room. The aftercare, too, with the nurse monitoring her—it was a great experience. ”

– Mother of a Special Needs Patient

testimonials Physical Limitations

Get the Dental Care You Need with Sedation Dentistry

Not everybody enjoys dental visits, but if you are one of the 20% of patients who suffer from extreme dental phobia and anxiety that prevents you from receiving proper dental care, then sedation dentistry offers you a stress free and comfortable way to take care of your oral health. The Center for Dental Rehabilitation offers sedation dentistry for all of our procedures, ranging from routine hygiene visits through to more complex dental procedures. Our goal is to ensure that you are comfortable and calm from the beginning of the appointment to the end.

Our Three Levels of Sedation

At the Center for Dental Rehabilitation, we offer a range of sedation options to provide comfort during your dental visit. Our level 1 sedation options include oral sedation medications such as benzodiazepine-based medications, or nitrous oxide. Level 2 sedation provides stronger sedation using IV medications. Our highest level of sedation uses general anesthetic which allows you to sleep throughout the entire procedure. We work with a board certified medical anesthesiologist for your safety during the entire procedure. Your doctor will work with you to develop a treatment plan that suits your goals for a successful visit.

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Learn More About Our Sedation Dentistry Services Today

You deserve proper oral health, but if your dental phobia is holding you back, then sedation dentistry is the perfect option. The Center for Dental Rehabilitation specializes in offering all levels of sedation to patients who need it. To learn more or schedule an appointment, call today at (602) 485-0505.