Be Relaxed and Comfortable with Sedation Dentistry by our Calgary Dentist

Fear and anxiety should be no reason to prevent anyone from receiving the dental treatment they need or achieving the smile aesthetics they desire.

Sedation dentistry can help to alleviate the stress and worry that is associated with dental visits by some patients.

For most people, sedation dentistry allows them to be in a relatively relaxed and comfortable state while having dental treatment performed.  For your comfort and convenience, at Advance Your Health Dental, our Calgary dentist is pleased to offer both oral sedation and IV sedation (administered by a duly qualified third party visiting general Calgary dentist). 

If you are wondering whether sedation dentistry is the right choice for you, please call us today for a consultation appointment where our general Calgary dentist, Dr. Dirk Thompson, would be pleased to answer any questions you may have and ensure that you are comfortable with your choice of treatment options.  Call us today at 403.283.4252!

Is Sedation Dentistry Right for Me?

Sedation dentistry is an option for the majority of patients who report fear or anxiety at the dentist's office.  Whether you are a suitable candidate for sedation dentistry depends upon a variety of factors including your age (Dr. Dirk Thompson does not sedate children who are younger than 12 years old), your medical history, your dental history, any allergies you may have, any adverse past reactions to anaesthesia and/or sedation dentistry and your expectations regarding the level of sedation that can be achieved with either oral sedation or intravenous sedation. 

Sedation dentistry is suitable for most types of dentistry including teeth cleanings, teeth extractions, including wisdom teeth extractions, cosmetic dental procedures such as crowns, veneers, and teeth bonding and restorative dentistry including fillings and root canals.  You may wish to consider either oral or IV sedation dentistry if you: 

• experience fear or anxiety at the dental office or during dental procedures
• have had a traumatic dental experience in the past
• have very sensitive teeth or a sensitive gag reflex
• have limited jaw opening or difficulty keeping your mouth open
• have extensive dental issues

Our Calgary dentist, Dr. Dirk Thompson, is pleased to offer his patients two kinds of sedation dentistry in his general dentistry practice:

• oral sedation; and
• IV sedation (IV sedation services are provided by a third party duly qualified general dentist at Advance Your Health Dental).

Whether you choose to proceed with oral sedation or IV sedation also depends upon a variety of factors, including the desired level of sedation and any past issues with oral or IV sedation or any anaesthetic.

If you're wondering whether sedation dentistry is right for you, call our Calgary dental office at 403.283.4252 for more information about your sedation dentistry options or to make an appointment with our dentist located in Calgary's NW Kensington community. We're here to help!

Let's Make Your Smile Last a Lifetime!

IV Sedation Dentistry

Intravenous (IV) sedation dentistry involves the IV administration of sedation medication.  IV sedation generally achieves a deeper level of sedation (a moderate level) than does oral sedation. IV sedation is not a general anaesthetic and does not achieve the same level of sedation as does a general anaesthetic.   The IV sedation is performed by a visiting general Calgary dentist who is duly qualfied and permitted by the Alberta Dental Association & College to administer IV sedation while Dr. Dirk Thompson does the actual dental treatment.

IV sedation may be a preferred method of sedation if you have extensive dental work to be performed, if you have had any prior difficult experiences with local anaesthesia, if oral sedation has previously failed to achieve the desired level of sedation or if the oral sedation medication is not recommended for a patient for a variety of reasons.  Most patients respond favourably to IV sedation.  

Prior to your IV sedation appointment, our Calgary dentist, Dr. Dirk Thompson, will first ensure that you are an appropriate candidate for IV sedation by reviewing your health and dental history, your medication history, any allergies you may have, your BMI (body mass index), the risks and benefits of IV sedation dentistry and any other pertinent health information.  Once it has been determined that you are an appropriate candidate for IV sedation dentistry, you will be provided with written information including pre and post sedation instructions. 

Your sedation dentistry appointment will be done in our large and comfortable dental suite.  Once you are resting comfortably with a warm and cozy blanket, our Calgary dentist will review your health and dental history with you. as well as your proposed dental treatment.  During your dental treatment, your vital signs will be continually and constantly monitored.  For your safety, our sedation team members and dentists will follow the IV sedation guidelines estalished by the Alberta Dental Association & College. 

With IV sedation, it is intended that you will be comfortably sedated throughout your entire dental appointment and have little, if any, recollection of the treatment procedure.

If you are interested in finding out more about the potential benefits of IV sedation, don't hesitate to contact our Calgary dentist's office at 403.283.4252 today!

General Calgary dentist Dr. Thompson uses a visiting general dentist duly qualified with a permit from the Alberta Dental Association & College to provide the IV sedation services at Advance Your Health Dental. Please call our office for more information.

Oral Sedation Dentistry By Our Calgary Dentist, Dr. Dirk Thompson, D.D.S.

Oral sedation is a sedation option that allows most people to feel relaxed throughout their dental treatment.  Oral sedation is achieved with a medication taken orally, usually Triazolam or Ativan.  Oral sedation dentistry achieves a minimal level of sedation, and is intended to relax a patient and decrease their anxiety.  With oral sedation, it is intended that you remain responsive throughout your dental treatment.  Although some patients do fall asleep, with oral sedation, the intention is that they are able to be awoken with a gentle verbal command.  

Prior to your oral sedation dentistry appointment, our Calgary dentist, Dr. Dirk Thompson, will ensure that you are an appropriate candidate for oral sedation by reviewing with you your past and current health and dental history, any allergies you may have, your medications, your BMI (body mass index) and any other pertinent health and dental information.  At this sedation dentistry consultation appointment, you will be encouraged to ask questions to ensure that you are completely aware of all of the benefits and risks of sedation dentistry.  At this consultation appointment, our Calgary dentist will provide you with written sedation dentistry information, including a sedation dentistry consent form, as well as pre and post sedation dentistry instructions, which will also include fasting instructions.  If you fail to fast according to the instructions provided to you, for your safety, your sedation dentistry appointment will have to be rescheduled.

Your sedation appointment will begin in our roomy and comfortable dental suite. Once our sedation dentistry team members have helped you to rest comfortably with a warm and cozy blanket, our Calgary dentist, Dr. Dirk Thompson, will again review all necessary health and dental information, and you will be given the oral sedative (in pill form) which should cause you to feel relaxed.  Patients should be aware that everyone responds to oral sedation differently and, for some patients, the desired level of sedation cannot be safely achieved in which case our Calgary dentist may suggest you explore other types of sedation dentistry.  For your safety, during your dental procedure, your pulse, blood pressure and vital signs will be continually monitored by our sedation dentistry team members.  

Once you are relaxed and comfortable, we will begin your dental treatment.

Although during your treatment you can expect to be responsive and awake, the oral sedation medication is intended to alleviate anxiety which may be related to the dental procedure.

When we have completed your dental treatment, you will be ready to have your companion escort you home, where you can rest comfortably for the rest of the day.  

If you would like more information about the benefits of oral sedation or have any questions, please call our Calgary dental office at 403.283.4252 for your consultation appointment.