When you suffer from tooth loss, replacing your missing teeth could be crucial for avoiding complications that alter the function of your bite and the appearance of your facial structure. We help restore smiles with implant dentistry, which requires oral surgery. To ensure our Santa Rosa, CA, patients remain calm and comfortable throughout the process, we may suggest dental sedation.
The Implant Placement Process
Dental implants differ significantly from other prosthetic options, such as crown-secured bridges or removable full and partial dentures. They are not attached with clasps, crowns, or suction. Instead, a root portion made from titanium is inserted into the jawbone via oral surgery. Since titanium is biocompatible, the post bonds with the bone tissue like a natural tooth. Not only does this secure the new tooth with greater stability, it stimulates the growth of bone tissue to allow your new tooth or prosthetic to last for decades to come, and not require periodic replacement every five years or so. To ensure placement with accuracy and precision, and to ensure your new roots can absorb daily bite forces and pressure, we guide the placement process with 3D cone beam technology, as well as digital x-rays and panoramic x-ray images.
Our Sedation Options
As we mentioned above, the process involves oral surgery. We want each and every patient to feel comfortable and relaxed, and to enjoy their time in the office as they obtain a new and functional smile. To ensure this, we provide sedation dentistry, which helps calm our patients, even those with dental anxiety. We will look at your medical history and take other factors into account to choose which option is right for you. Our selections include:
Nitrous Oxide:
Also known as laughing gas, this version is mild enough that pediatric dentists use it for children undergoing more extensive treatments. The effects wear off almost immediately, and the sedation is administered through a mask over the nose and mouth. The patient simply inhales a gas and enters a calmer state.
Oral Sedation:
Taken in pill or liquid form, this offers a much deeper state of relaxation and is more potent. The effects take time to wear off once the procedure ends, so you will need a friend or family member on hand to bring you home.
IV:
The deepest form of relaxation available, and also referred to as general anesthesia, this is often the option recommended for oral surgery. You enter a deep state of calm and a trained anesthesiologist will monitor you through the process. For those receiving dental implants, this is often the choice we recommend.
Do You Have Questions About Dental Sedation?
We want to make sure the process of replacing missing teeth and restoring smile function is a comfortable one. To learn more about our calming solutions, schedule a consultation by calling Santa Rosa Oral Surgery in Santa Rosa, CA, today at 707-545-4625.