Deep Relaxation

At Ann Arbor Smiles, we seek to be your compassionate dental office. Our dentists and hygienists welcome your concerns or questions about your care and will make sure you are in control of your entire appointment. Your comfort and safety is our number one priority. Deep relaxation can help make your dental appointment fly by!

Deep Relaxation Without Medication

We encourage patients to bring in their own music. Did you know you can listen to your headphones or earbuds throughout most procedures? Your own calming music or audiobook can reduce the stress and anxiety you may have about your appointment. In addition, there are a lot of meditation applications for your smartphone that can assist with reminding you to take deep cleansing breaths during your appointment.

Ann Arbor Smiles also offers memory foam cushions and complimentary blankets so you can relax in comfort and make yourself at home.

Relax With A Little Assistance

If you have a history of anxiety or are apprehensive about your upcoming appointment, or too nervous to schedule one, there are other options for your care as well. Please talk to your Ann Arbor Smiles dentist to see which option is right for you.

Sedation Dentistry is offered at Ann Arbor Smiles in the following ways:

• Nitrous Oxide Sedation or laughing gas that produces a mild calming effect and a small pain relieving effect.
• Oral Conscious Sedation, where you take a small sedative an hour before your appointment.
• Now offering IV Sedation, a deeper sedation with an amnesic effect that allows you to rest through your procedure.

Nitrous Oxide Sedation

Nitrous oxide sedation is one of the safest dental sedation methods. Due to the non-narcotic effect of this treatment, you do not normally need someone to accompany you to the dental office. This drug holds less risk of complications and can be used for children and pregnant women. Also, the effects of nitrous oxide or ‘laughing gas’ wear off within five minutes of ending the treatment. While you may need to wait for all the effects to wear off, you should be able to drive yourself home!

This sedation is inhaled through your nose during a procedure through a mask that lays over your nose. Nitrous oxide has a calming and analgesic (pain reducing) effect that helps in cases of mild anxiety or even an overactive gag reflex. During this sedation method, you are still conscious and not fully sedated. You will have a memory of the appointment and you may feel discomfort during certain procedures.

This treatment is for patients with mild apprehension or nervousness about their procedure. In addition, it is great for patients who have a very touchy gag reflex.

Sedation helps patients who otherwise would not seek treatment for dental issues to relax comfortably and can make the appointment appear to fly by.

Other Sedation Methods

Oral Conscious Sedation: Great for patients with moderate levels of anxiety. Requires transportation to and from your appointment.

Intravenous Sedation, IV Sedation: Deep relaxation, used for patients with moderate to high levels of anxiety and during complicated procedures. Also, requires transportation to and from your appointment.

Talk to your Ann Arbor Smiles dentist if you think sedation dentistry is right for you! Our compassionate staff will listen to your concerns and create a plan for your appointment so that you feel as comfortable as possible in our office.