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Chesapeake, Virginia 23320

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Justin said he chose sedation because he wanted the most comfortable experience possible. He wanted to simply go to sleep and wake up with the procedure complete – and that’s exactly what happened. He said the entire process was nearly pain-free. In fact, it was so pain-free that he was eating soft foods like mashed potatoes five or six hours after the procedure and solid foods the very next day. He was even comfortable enough to enjoy a cheeseburger!

Having your wisdom teeth removed is common, but many shutter at the thought of the procedure. At Advanced Sedation, we can make the experience of wisdom teeth removal as simple and pain-free as possible. We’ll help you choose the level of sedation that’s best for you and provide a comfortable, caring environment.

It turned out Bill needed a bridge and two crowns. After feeling his initial appointment went well, he decided to go ahead with the procedures. Bill stated that one key factor in his decision was that, “Dr. Sarah Phillips spent a lot of quality time with me, and I felt much taken care of and that I was not alone.” Bill received nitrous oxide sedation to ease the pain of his procedures and explained that the staff at Advanced Sedation had educated him so that he fully understood his choices.

Bill could not say enough about how wonderful the staff was and how the atmosphere was very pleasant. He expressed that his time at Advanced Sedation Dentistry was the best dental experience he has ever had. “100% better than the previous experiences,” he stated. We are so happy to have had the chance to help Bill through his procedures comfortably and pain-free!

This trend is a significant problem affecting families of all income levels. In a study five years ago, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported the first increase in 40 years in the number of preschool-age children with cavities. We aren’t talking about the occasional lone cavity, though. Dentists are reporting increased incidences of children coming to the dentist for the first time in their lives with 6-10 cavities.

There are many likely reasons for this trend, and they go beyond the simple concept that these children eat too many unhealthy foods. Perfectly well-intentioned parents aren’t aware that they need to start brushing their child’s teeth – with fluoride toothpaste – at age one.  Additionally, many parents aren’t aware that putting a child to bed with a sippy cup of juice or a bottle of milk increases the chance for tooth decay. Furthermore, dentists often notice people expressing the false notion that dental care for baby teeth is unnecessary because baby teeth fall out anyway.

Both ABC News and The New York Times have quoted Dr. Amr Moursi, chairman of pediatric dentistry at NYU’s College of Dentistry, as saying, “The need for dental operating rooms at NYU exceeds the supply, forcing dentists to compete with cardiac surgeons and neurosurgeons for operating room time, and forcing patients to wait three to six months to have their dental surgeries scheduled.” Additionally, he said, “It’s hard to find  pediatric dentists with operating room privileges, which further squeezes the ability to treat children in need.” He added, “There’s not enough operating rooms in the country equipped to do dental work.”

Operating rooms equipped for dental anesthesia may be scarce, but our Dr. Len Futerman is a certified dental anesthesiologist and Advanced Sedation Dentistry is well-equipped and highly experienced in providing the type of care these preschool-age children so desperately need. In these types of extreme cases, general anesthesia for dental procedures allows children to get the care they need with less pain and trauma from the experience.

It turned out that Sandy needed tooth extractions, a root canal, fillings and a routine cleaning. For her procedures, Sandy underwent IV sedation. It was the right choice of sedation for Sandy’s personal comfort level and needs.

“From the minute you meet with Joanna, she helps you feel comfortable, and Dr. Futerman is very gentle,” Sandy explained. After her procedures, she was pleasantly surprised to find she had no pain. “Some people say they have terrible pain after the type of work I had, but I never experienced that after my procedures.”

When asked to describe her overall experience, Sandy explained, “It was good. I do still get nervous about going to the dentist, but I know that when I get there, things will be fine. They honor your desires as much as they can to make you more comfortable. They are very patient with me. Even though I’m an adult, I’m “super chicken,” and they don’t make me feel embarrassed about that.”

Sandy added, “I even recommended Advanced Sedation Dentistry for my grandchildren, and one is going this week. I would not be afraid to recommend them to anyone because of how good they are.”

Like Sandy, many people find sedation dentistry is the perfect solution to their extreme dental anxiety. If you are interested in learning more, please give us a call. We’ll help you understand your options and create a treatment plan that best fits your needs and your level of comfort.

Shawnda said she had never heard of sedation dentistry before and was a little nervous. She needed a lot of work, including teeth extractions, a root canal, a crown and more. But, Shawnda said after the team at Advanced Sedation Dentistry explained their plan, she felt extremely comfortable with the idea of sedation. She was thrilled that she could get all of her procedures completed at once with no pain at all.

Shawnda explained, “They really made me feel comfortable there [at Advanced Sedation Dentistry]. They really were like family!”

If you are interested in learning more about sedation dentistry and how it could benefit you, please give us a call at Advanced Sedation Dentistry. As with Shawnda, we’ll help you understand your options and create a treatment plan that best fits your needs and your level of comfort.

What are the Benefits of General Anesthesia?

• Because you are fully asleep, general anesthesia allows you to be pain-free.

• Often, patients need a number of treatments that would take a long time to accomplish all at once if the patient is awake. General anesthesia makes it possible for an extensive amount of work to be done all at once, potentially saving you a lot of time, anxiety and money.

How Is General Anesthesia Administered?

• For adults: Intravenous sedatives are often given prior to the general anesthesia, allowing the patient to relax and fall asleep. After the patient has fallen asleep, a customized, precisely-measured amount of general anesthesia gas would be administered to ensure the patient remains asleep through the procedure.

• For children: Because children may experience more anxiety about the intravenous process, they may receive an initial sedative by gas, allowing them to comfortably breathe themselves to sleep. Once asleep, the customized amount of precisely-measured general anesthesia gas would be administered.

Should I Be Nervous About the Safety of General Anesthesia?

• General anesthesia is a very precise and controlled process. It can only be provided by a highly-trained, certified dental anesthesiologist.

• There is no need to worry about waking up during the procedure. While under general anesthesia, patients are carefully monitored by a certified anesthesiologist and the level of anesthesia is customized for the individual’s needs.

What Types of Patients May Benefit from Dental Anesthesia?

• Patients with extreme dental phobia.
• Patients with a particularly severe gag reflex.
• Children or special needs patients who may be overly anxious.
• Patients needing an unusually long dental procedure.
• Patients requiring many dental procedures at once.
• Overly anxious children or children too young to be able to cooperate
• Children who would otherwise need multiple or very long appointments

When inhaled through a face mask, Nitrous Oxide helps patients feel relaxed without fully putting them to sleep. Effects wear off quickly after the gas is removed.  Unlike with general anesthesia, patients using nitrous oxide are not required to fast prior to their procedure, and they are able to safely drive home when the procedure is complete.

Under nitrous oxide sedation, patients remain conscious and able to communicate with the dentist and respond to instructions, and their protective reflexes are maintained.  Afterwards, patients are frequently left with little or no memory of the procedure.

Nitrous oxide usage in sedation dentistry has a long-term safety record with limited side effects.  The sedation is quickly reversible by stopping the administration of gas and administering oxygen.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the benefits of using nitrous oxide for dental sedation include:

• Reducing or eliminating patient anxiety
• Reducing gag reflex, involuntary movement, and overall reaction to dental treatment
• Increasing pain tolerance
• Increasing tolerance for longer appointments

If you’ve been putting off dental work due to fear of dental procedures, nitrous oxide could provide you the relief you need to get through the experience. If nitrous oxide isn’t the best fit for you, there are several other types of dental sedation options. Give us a call and we’ll help you choose an option that’s best for you. We have extensive experience helping patients with dental fear get the treatment they need.

Benefits of IV Sedation:

• Higher level of sedation than oral sedation
• Suitable for patients with moderate to severe anxiety
• Adjustable dosage and sedation level
• Faster treatment in fewer appointments
• Helps ease patient anxieties

How is an IV given and administered?

IV sedation is given intravenously, meaning the drug is administered through a vein. A very thin needle is inserted close to the surface of the skin in either the arm or back of the hand. This needle is wrapped with a soft plastic tube through which medicine is administered. During the procedure, the patient’s pulse and oxygen levels are constantly measured and monitored to ensure the patient remains safe at all times.

IV sedation can only be provided by a certified dental anesthesiologist. This type of specialist undergoes several years of training beyond dental school, including a year-long anesthesiology residency in a hospital. When administered by a highly trained advanced sedation dentist, IV sedation is quite safe. So, if you’re suffering from dental fears, IV sedation may be a great solution. Speak with your dentist to find out what sedation procedure is best for you.

How Does Oral Sedation Work?

Oral sedation is a form of conscious sedation that uses a specific type of medication, in tablet form, to deeply relax a patient. The technique is easy and requires no needles. One type of oral medication used in conscious sedation dentistry is called Benzodiazepine. This sedative works by toning down the areas of the brain responsible for fear.

What’s the Oral Sedation Experience Like?

With oral sedation, the patient maintains a level of consciousness but increased calmness. This allows for added safety and cooperation. Best of all, this medication not only has a sedation effect but also an amnesic effect on most. Many patients report that they do not remember the visit, or they say they feel like they slept through the treatment.

Who Can Use Conscious Sedation?

Many healthy adults are good candidates for it. It’s often preferred by people who need stronger sedation than just nitrous oxide, but prefer not to have IV Sedation or general anesthesia.

What are the Benefits of Oral Sedation?

• It’s very effective for mild to moderate anxiety.
• It’s safe and easy.
• A patient can breathe and speak on his/her own.
• Since patients remember little about the actual visit, it helps reduce future dental anxiety.
• Patients are less aware of the length of time a dental procedure or group of procedures occurs.

Whether you’re worried about going to the dentist or just too busy for multiple visits, oral sedation can be a great solution for getting all your dental work done during one visit.

Our Excellent Team Can Make Your Experience Pain-Free

We have a great team with the specialized skills to make your experience comfortable and stress-free. In fact, we’ve updated the “Meet Our Staff” page on our website with new photos and bios, so you can learn more about our excellent team there!

Dr. Futerman and Dr. Phillips

Left to right: Sarah, Len, Rachel, Cindy