Special Needs Dentistry
Anesthesia and Sedation
The comfort and safety of our special needs patients is imperative to our standard of care. For this reason, we offer many levels of anesthesia and sedation in our Dallas dental office. After a consultation with the caregiver and/or patient, your Ford Clinic dentist will recommend options for comfort. We can provide:
- Topical Numbing
- Local Anesthesia
- Nitrous Oxide
- Oral Sedation
- Oral Conscious Sedation
- IV Sedation
Nitrous Oxide
Also called laughing gas, nitrous oxide is administered through a facemask. Nitrous oxide calms and relaxes a patient while reducing the ability to sense pain and stress. We administer nitrous oxide during a procedure, and the effects wear off immediately.
Oral Sedation
In some cases, the dentist will prescribe an oral sedative prior to treatment. The sedative will induce a relaxed state, without "putting the patient under." The effects of oral sedation can linger for an entire day, but the patient should be back to normal the following day. Some patients under oral sedation fall asleep of their own accord.
Oral Conscious Sedation
For oral conscious sedation, we administer a combination of oral sedative with nitrous oxide. We monitor the patient's vital signs throughout treatment, and the patient is not "put under." However, the relaxing effects of oral conscious sedation often cause drowsiness, so some patients fall asleep of their own accord. The effects of oral conscious sedation will linger for the remainder of the day following a dental visit. After oral conscious sedation, patients may remember little or nothing about their appointment.
IV Sedation
Special needs patients often benefit from IV sedation, which can induce a "twilight" state or completely "put a patient under." Our staff anesthesiologists, including Dr. Ford, are adept at providing general sedation safely and effectively. We will ensure the patient's comfort and monitor vital signs throughout the procedure.
Call The Ford Clinic today to reserve your appointment with one of our special needs dentists. Our Dallas office serves patients from across the Dallas – Fort Worth area and the State of Texas.
Fax: 972-296-5801
107 North Cedar Ridge Dr
#100
Duncanville, Texas
75116