Nervous About Dental Work? Sedation Options Explained

ByDr. Evandro Osterne Filho

If you feel nervous about dental work, you are not alone, and there are ways to make treatment easier. Options range from local anesthesia to nitrous oxide (“laughing gas”) and, for suitable cases, sedation with a medical anesthesiologist. You can also ask for a pause at any time.

Why do so many adults feel anxious at the dentist?

Many adults carry memories of a bad visit years ago. Others dislike the sounds, the smells or the feeling of not being in control. Some feel embarrassed about the state of their teeth.

All of these feelings are common. Talking about them early helps your dentist plan around them. On your pre-visit video call, you can tell Dr. Evandro what worries you most. He sees every international patient personally, so you talk with the same dentist who will treat you.

What does local anesthesia do?

Local anesthesia numbs only the area being treated. It is used for almost all procedures, with or without sedation.

  • You stay fully awake.
  • You should feel pressure and movement, but not sharp pain.
  • The numbness wears off after a few hours.

A numbing gel is often placed first so the injection itself feels milder.

What is nitrous oxide sedation?

Nitrous oxide is a gas you breathe through a small mask over your nose. It is often called “laughing gas.”

  • It helps you feel relaxed and calm.
  • You stay awake and can talk and respond.
  • The effect fades soon after the gas is stopped and you breathe oxygen.

It works together with local anesthesia. It is a good fit for many people with mild to moderate anxiety. Your health history is reviewed before it is used.

What is sedation with a medical anesthesiologist?

For longer or more complex treatment, such as full-arch implants, some patients choose deeper sedation. At Onne Odontologia, this is done with a medical anesthesiologist, a physician trained in sedation and in monitoring patients during it.

  • The anesthesiologist gives and adjusts the medicine.
  • Your breathing, heart rate and oxygen are monitored the whole time.
  • You feel very relaxed and may remember little of the procedure.
  • Ideally, a companion stays with you afterward. If you travel alone, tell the clinic: with your consent, the whole sedation session can be recorded on video for added safety and transparency, and local transfers are part of your plan.
  • Sedation with an anesthesiologist is not part of the standard treatment estimate. It is quoted separately when it is suitable for your case.

This option is only for suitable cases. Your health history decides. When your history calls for it, a cardiologist evaluation is done before treatment.

How do I stay in control during treatment?

Feeling in control is often the biggest help. Here is what you can count on:

  • You can ask for a pause at any time. Agree on a hand signal before you start.
  • Each step is explained before it happens, in English.
  • You choose your sedation option with Dr. Evandro, based on your health and your comfort.
  • You can bring headphones and listen to music or a podcast.

For implant patients, knowing what will happen also helps. Read dental implants in Brazil: what to know before the trip and full-arch fixed teeth.

Key takeaways

  • Dental anxiety is common and nothing to be ashamed of.
  • Local anesthesia numbs the area; you stay awake.
  • Nitrous oxide helps you relax while you stay awake and alert.
  • Deeper sedation is given by a medical anesthesiologist, for suitable cases only.
  • You can ask for a pause at any time.

Questions patients ask

Will I be asleep during nitrous oxide sedation?
No. You stay awake and can talk. You simply feel more relaxed.

Can I have sedation if I have a heart condition?
Maybe. Your health history is reviewed, and a cardiologist evaluation is done when needed before any decision.

How do I choose between options?
Talk about your fears and your health on the video call and on day 1. Dr. Evandro will explain which options are suitable for you.

Tell us about your smile and schedule a pre-visit video call with Dr. Evandro. Start here.

About the author

Dr. Evandro César Vidal Osterne Filho, Dentist (Cirurgião-Dentista), CRO/DF 7172, Clinical Director of Onne Odontologia in Águas Claras, Brasília.

  • Registered specialist in Implant Dentistry, Orthodontics, Functional Jaw Orthopedics and Halitosis with Brazil’s Federal Council of Dentistry (CFO)
  • Experienced in complex cases and full-mouth rehabilitation
  • Postgraduate training: Orthodontics (3 years), Implant Dentistry (2 years), Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (1-year advanced course), Functional Jaw Orthopedics (1 year)
  • More than 10,000 dental implants placed over 22 years of practice
  • Former professor at the University of Brasília (UnB) for two years; instructor in postgraduate courses that train dentists to place implants
  • Dental auditor for health plans, reviewing treatment plans from other clinics
  • Master’s in Digital Dentistry with a focus on Artificial Intelligence, Harold Gillies University, Florida (in progress)
  • Speaks fluent English and sees every international patient personally

Verify his license: website.cfo.org.br/consulta-inscritos
Clinic website: onneodontologia.com.br

This article is educational and does not replace an in-person dental evaluation. Results vary from person to person. Dr. Evandro César Vidal Osterne Filho, Dentist (Cirurgião-Dentista), CRO/DF 7172.

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