Sedation Dentistry in Syosset, NY

Barkoff Dental provides sedation dentistry in Syosset, NY. Call 516-921-1133 to learn more and schedule an appointment.

We understand that many patients are nervous about going to the dentist. Our goal is to make your visit with us as comfortable as possible. During any restorative dental procedure, we will always provide anesthetic to make sure you don't feel any pain while we work. Some patients need sedation in addition to anesthesia to put their minds at ease. We are happy to provide the following sedation dentistry options at our office:

More commonly known as laughing gas, nitrous oxide is a preferred sedation option for dental procedures because it is safe, effective, and it wears off quickly. We'll place a mask over your nose and you'll inhale a mixture of nitrous oxide and oxygen. In a few short minutes, you'll begin to feel comfortable as your nervousness fades into the background. Some patients may feel light-headed and have a tingling or heavy sensation in their arms or legs, but most experience no adverse reactions or side effects from inhaled sedation.

If you'd like to learn more about using nitrous oxide during your dental procedure, talk to your dentist to discuss whether it's the right choice for you.

For patients who experience more serious anxiety about dental procedures, we offer conscious oral sedation. Your dentist will prescribe a single sedative pill for you to pick up at your local pharmacy and take prior to treatment. This oral sedative will put you in a relaxed state, but you will still be conscious during the procedure. You will feel no discomfort because you'll also receive local anesthetic to numb the area we're working on.

Because oral sedatives don't wear off as quickly as nitrous oxide sedation, you will need to make plans for someone to drive you to and from our office for your dental treatment.

Contact our Syosset dental office to learn more about our sedation options. Call 516-921-1133 to schedule your appointment.

Yes, nitrous oxide is one of the safest forms of sedation available. Because it’s inhaled through the nose, it begins to work quickly, but it also wears off just as fast. This means that it has little-to-no lasting side effects.

The most common side effect is nausea, which can affect up to 10 percent of patients. Other side effects include headaches, dizziness, and feelings of heaviness in the limbs. These side effects resolve soon after the nitrous oxide mask is removed.

Nitrous oxide lasts for as long as you’re wearing the mask; once you remove it, the effects take between 30 seconds to 4 minutes to subside.

Yes, nitrous oxide puts the body into a more relaxed state, helping relieve anxiety about dental procedures.

Yes, because nitrous oxide wears off so quickly, it is safe to drive yourself home after your dental procedure.

No, nitrous oxide does not reduce pain; it only reduces anxiety. This is why during most procedures, we use nitrous oxide in conjunction with local anesthesia for pain relief.

Yes, conscious oral sedation is a safe and effective form of dental sedation with very few potential risks or side effects.

Yes, you will remain awake during conscious sedation, although some patients may doze off occasionally if they’re particularly sensitive to the medication used.

Conscious sedation only relaxes you during your procedure; it doesn’t prevent you from feeling pain. Local anesthetic injections will be used to ensure that you don’t feel any discomfort while we work.

Some patients experience nausea, headaches, and low blood pressure while under conscious oral sedation. You may also experience a prolonged sense of drowsiness and feelings of sluggishness.

Yes, conscious sedation is much safer than general anesthesia, which is why we choose to use it at our dental practice. The risk of stronger forms of sedation or anesthesia in dentistry is that the patient may lose consciousness and no longer be able to maintain their own airway (i.e., breathe on their own). There’s no risk of this occurring with conscious oral sedation; even if you briefly doze off, you’ll never fall into a deep unconscious state.