What is Sedation Dentistry?

Sedation dentistry is a term that refers to the use of sleep anesthesia during dental procedures such as crowns & bridges, veneers & bonding, fillings, implants, root canals, and tooth extraction. Dental sedation is often used during procedures that require an extensive amount of time, as well as for patients who exhibit dental phobia or have difficulty controlling their movements (this includes children).

There are four types of sedation that can be used during a dental visit:

• Nitrous oxide
• IV sedation
• Oral sedative
• General anesthesia

Indications for Sedation or Hospital Care include:

• Anesthetic Failure (Difficulty Getting Numb)
• High Anxiety/Low Pain Threshold
• Major Dental Treatment
• Strong Gag Reflex
• Local Anesthetic Allergy or Ineffectiveness
• Physical or Mental Handicap
• Dental Phobia
• Alzheimer's Disease
• Parkinson's Disease
• Cerebral Palsy

Services Offered include:

• Fillings, Crowns, Bridges
• Root Canal
• Extractions
• Bonding, Veneers, Cosmetic Procedures
• Periodontal Procedures

Dental Anxiety and Dental Phobia

It is estimated that approximately 30 to 40 million Americans avoid seeing the dentist because of dental anxiety or dental phobia. People with dental anxiety have fears that are often greatly exaggerated. Dental phobia is a more serious condition. People with this condition are terrified and panic-stricken when it comes time to see the dentist. They often avoid the appointment altogether. If they do force themselves to go, they often do not sleep the night before or may become sick in the waiting room.

Am I a Candidate?

You may be a candidate for dental sedation if you exhibit any of the following characteristics:

• Dental phobia
• Dental anxiety
• Difficulty controlling movement from conditions such as cerebral palsy or Parkinson's disease

Patients who are on other medications should consult with their dentist before taking sedatives. Previous allergic reactions to other drugs should also be reported to the sedation dentist.

About the Doctor

For over 30 years Dr. Eriksmoen and his staff have been providing Sedation for all phases of Dentistry in our office and in the Hoag Hospital Operating room for patients with special needs. Dr. Eriksmoen is a 1967 Graduate of USC School of Dentistry and has practiced in Newport Beach since 1971. He subsequently served on the U.S.C. faculty as an Associate Professor of Fixed Prosthodontics, and in 1987 was honored as a Fellow of the Academy of General Dentistry. He is a lecturer in the field of Cosmetic and Reconstructive Dentistry, and is an investigator in an FDA Clinical Trial studying Migraine headache prevention. He is a member of The American Association of Hospital Dentists, The Academy of Dentistry for the Handicapped, The American Society for Geriatric Dentistry, The American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, The American Dental Association, The California Dental Association, The Orange County Dental Society, The Newport Harbor Academy of Dentistry, and the Hoag Hospital Medical Staff.

Learn more about our office at
www.eriksmoen.com