Sedation Dentistry in San Diego, CA
Dr. Friedman and his team have received extensive training in sedation dentistry. Only 1% of the dentists in the country are actually qualified in this type of conscious sedation dentistry, and patients come from all over Southern California to our Scripps Ranch dental office to be treated using this comfortable, safe, and effective system.
The medication used for sedation “sleep” dentistry is called Triazolam. It is a small blue pill that is crushed and mixed with a flavored mint for taste. Dr. Friedman places the crushed granules under your tongue for simple absorption. The patient then relaxes in one of our dental suites. The medication takes about 40-50 minutes to help the patient feel fully calm and relaxed. This tablet has been prescribed over 10 million times per year by physicians for patient use at home. The drug has almost no side effects and isn’t likely to have any interaction with other medications you may currently be taking. Sedation dentistry allows you to comfortably undergo everything from a simple cleaning to extensive treatment fear-free. For those with severe dental anxiety, dental sedation can be the answer to receiving the dental care you need and have neglected in the past.
Benefits of sedation dentistry include:
- The medicine has an amnesia-like quality, which, for most patients, tends to prevent them from remembering much at all about the appointment.
- It enhances the effectiveness of anesthetic.
- It decreases gagging.
- It decreases joint and muscle soreness.
- It allows multiple treatments to be provided over less visits and less time in the chair.
While sedated, the patient will be constantly monitored with a computerized pulse oximeter, which measures heart rate, blood pressure, and oxygen saturation. We also have a reversal agent on hand that reverses the effect of the sedation medicine in less than 30 seconds. We have treated several patients with this conscious sedation technique and find it very comforting for our dental phobia patients, even those who need extensive treatment.
If you would like to find out more about sedation dentistry, contact our office today. Jessica will be more than happy to discuss your options and answer any of your questions.
The Wand is a revolutionary computer-controlled local anesthesia injection system that can provide an effective anesthetic delivery overall for patients. Whether you get nervous about injections or not, it allows a more predictably comfortable injection, especially in the sensitive areas. It also allows the use of less anesthetic and, at certain times, techniques that can be used to eliminate the collateral numbing of your face, tongue, and lips.
When you get an injection, the needle is not what causes the main discomfort of an injection. Discomfort for most patients comes from the pressure and volume of the fluid going into the tissues. The microprocessor inside The Wand automatically compensates for different tissue densities. The anesthetic is delivered at a constant pressure and volume that’s typically below the threshold of pain. The computer also provides a flow of anesthetic directly ahead of the needle. This numbs the site of insertion and develops a “pathway of anesthesia” so you hardly feel the needle at all. The Wand delivers the anesthetic at an optimal flow rate for a comfortable injection every time.
Dr. Greg Friedman and MOD Squad Dental are committed to bringing the latest technology and techniques to patients. The Wand is one of a number of special technologies that we utilize to provide you with the very best in oral care and comfort.
The Wand offers patients several benefits, including:
- It consistently provides a more comfortable and effective anesthetic delivery.
- It delivers precise control of flow rate and pressure, reliably producing a comfortable injection even in potentially more “difficult” areas like the palate, where the tissue is less elastic.
- It looks non-threatening and induces less anxiety than any other injection method.
- Patients at MOD Squad Dental love The Wand!