Relax through your visit
Many people feel nervous about dental care, and that is completely understandable. Sedation helps you relax deeply so treatment feels easy and the time passes quickly.
For some patients, anxiety has meant putting off the dentist for years, which can let small problems grow. Sedation gently breaks that cycle, letting you catch up on care comfortably and often allowing us to combine several treatments into fewer, calmer visits.
We routinely help anxious patients get the preventive, basic, and advanced care everyone deserves, always without judgment about how long it has been.
Safe, dentist-supervised options
For adults, we often use a combination of an oral medication and nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas, to provide just the right level of relaxation for your procedure.
Nitrous oxide is breathed in through a small mask, takes effect within minutes, and wears off quickly once you finish, so most patients can drive themselves home afterward. Oral sedation is a pill taken before your appointment that brings a deeper sense of calm, and because it lingers, you will need someone to drive you to and from the visit.
We monitor you closely throughout and tailor sedation to your needs and comfort. Before any sedation we review your health history and current medications so we can choose the safest approach for you.
Who sedation is for
Sedation is ideal for patients with dental anxiety, a sensitive gag reflex, or a lot of treatment to complete in one visit. We will discuss whether it is right for you.
It can also be a real help for people who have trouble getting numb, who find it hard to sit comfortably for longer appointments, or who simply want to feel more at ease for a procedure. During your visit we will talk through how you tend to feel at the dentist and recommend the level of relaxation that fits.
For the safety and comfort of young children, we do not sedate patients under six and will refer to a pediatric specialist when needed.
A calmer dental visit close to home
If anxiety has kept you from the dentist for years, knowing relief is just a short drive away can be the nudge that finally gets you in. Patients seek out sedation dentistry in Albuquerque at our northwest office from Corrales and Rio Rancho, often because they have been putting off care and want a gentle, judgment-free place to catch up comfortably.
Dr. B (Boyd Newsome, DMD) is patient and reassuring with nervous patients, and he tailors light to moderate sedation to your needs while monitoring you closely throughout. Many people who once dreaded dental visits tell us that sedation, paired with our easygoing team, let them finally get healthy without the fear they had carried for so long.