Dental anxiety is real, and it keeps millions of people from getting care they know they need. If the thought of sitting in a dental chair makes your chest tight, if the sounds and smells set something off in you, you are not being dramatic. You are being human. At our welcoming Gorham dental office, Dr. Brett Morgan, DMD offers gentle sedation options so you can finally get your care done, comfortably and calmly, without dreading every appointment. Because your peace of mind matters, you choose the level of sedation, and we explain every step before we start. Call us today to ask about sedation.
Sedation is one of the tools we use, but the bigger answer is the team using it. Listen to Dr. Brett Morgan on how Morgan Dental Care meets patients who’ve stayed away because of fear, shame, or a bad past experience.
“We’re not here to judge. We’re not here to point fingers. We’re here to help you get healthy.”
– Dr. Brett Morgan, DMD
Who Sedation Is For
Sedation is for anyone who has been putting off care because the chair feels like too much. Some patients have had a bad experience. Some cannot say exactly why their heart races in the waiting room. Some are not scared at all but have a strong gag reflex, trouble getting numb, or a long visit ahead. All of those are good reasons to ask.
Many of the people who ask us about sedation have not been to a dentist in years, and most of them expect a lecture when they walk in. There is no lecture here. Dr. Morgan’s view is simple: we are not here to judge or point fingers, we are here to help you get healthy.
The Two Levels of Sedation We Offer
Nitrous oxide (laughing gas). You breathe it through a small mask over your nose. Within a few minutes you feel lighter and calmer, and the sounds of the office fade into the background. You stay awake and can answer questions. When the mask comes off, it wears off within minutes, so most patients drive themselves home and go back to their day. It is a good fit for mild to moderate nerves, cleanings, fillings and shorter visits, and it is gentle enough for children.
Oral conscious sedation. You take a prescribed pill before your appointment. You feel deeply relaxed and drowsy, and many patients remember little of the visit afterward, but you can still breathe on your own and respond when we speak to you. It suits stronger fear, longer visits and patients who want to get several treatments done in one appointment. You will need someone to drive you there and home.
Local anesthesia comes with both. Sedation calms you; numbing stops the pain. We use both together so you are relaxed and comfortable.
Dr. Morgan has completed additional training in oral sedation and in cardiac life support. We review your health history and medications before any sedation, and we monitor you throughout the visit.
How to Choose
- If your worry is mostly the first few minutes in the chair, or the sound of the instruments, nitrous oxide is usually enough.
- If you have not been able to make yourself book an appointment at all, or you need a long visit, oral sedation is often the better fit.
- If you are not sure, start with a conversation. We can talk through your history and what has made dental visits hard before anyone picks up an instrument.
What Your Sedation Day Looks Like
Before. We go over your medical history, medications and any past reactions, and you choose the level of sedation with us. For oral sedation you get written instructions: when to take the pill, what to eat beforehand, and what to wear.
During. You are welcomed, settled into the chair and given time to get comfortable. We check in with you throughout and tell you what is happening before we do it.
After. With nitrous oxide you usually go straight back to your day. With oral sedation your driver takes you home to rest for the remainder of the day; most people feel back to normal by the next morning. We call to check on you.
Getting More Done in Fewer Visits
For patients who have put off care for a long time, there is often a list of things to do. With oral sedation, several fillings, a cleaning and other treatment can sometimes be combined into one longer appointment, so you face the chair fewer times. Dr. Morgan will tell you honestly what can safely be combined.
Sedation Dentistry Questions
Yes, when it is planned around your health history and monitored throughout, which is how we do it. Tell us about every medication and condition you have so we can choose the right level.
No. Neither nitrous oxide nor oral sedation puts you to sleep. You stay able to breathe on your own and respond, though with oral sedation you may feel drowsy and remember little.
After nitrous oxide, usually yes. After oral sedation, no: you need a driver and should rest for the remainder of the day.
Some plans cover sedation for certain procedures or medical needs. We check your benefits and tell you the cost before your visit.
Nitrous oxide is commonly used for children who are nervous. Whether any sedation is right for your child is a conversation we have with you first.
Sedation Dentistry for a Worry-Free Experience
If fear has kept you away, the hardest part is the phone call, and we make that easy. Call Morgan Dental Care at (207) 839-2655 or visit us at 94 Main Street in Gorham and ask about sedation. Nobody will judge how long it has been. You deserve to get your care done without dreading it.