Dr. Greene and his staff are excellent at helping patients feel calm and comfortable during their procedure, however, there are occasions where something more is needed to help the patient relax through the endodontic process. We offer different options for this occasion. Today we are discussing nitrous oxide (N2O) or also known as “laughing gas”.
Nitrous oxide is a sweet-smelling, non-irritating, colorless gas. Nitrous oxide is a gas breathed through a small mask placed over your nose that helps decrease anxiety, allowing you to feel more relaxed. Nitrous oxide mixed with oxygen as an anesthetic and analgesic in dentistry has been a partnership since 1844. Nitrous oxide does not put you to sleep. The patient remains conscious throughout the dental procedure while retaining the patient’s ability to respond to questions and instructions from the dentist. It aids in the procedure and allows the patient to experience minimal discomfort. You will still receive lidocaine (Novocain) for your endodontic procedure. The area around the involved tooth will be numb, so you will not feel anything and the nitrous oxide will lessen anxiety and create a relaxed, or even euphoric, feeling.
The recovery time is very short, and the effects pass within minutes, so you will be able to drive yourself home. Nitrous oxide works very quickly and wears off quickly. The level of relaxation can be adjusted by changing the concentration of nitrous oxide. Nitrous is best used for patients with mild anxieties that are having short, uncomplicated dental treatment.
Nitrous oxide isn’t very intense compared to other types of sedation in dentistry. The euphoria experienced can make the patient feel happy and the patient is more likely to feel like laughing, aka laughing gas. You may resume your normal daily activities immediately.
Greene Endodontics offers nitrous oxide and oral sedation as a sedation option to our patients. Please contact us for more information. 765-649-1277
Thank you Dr. Greene and staff! I had a root canal and was so pleased to found your office. I drove over three hours to see you since you were in network with my insurance and had really good reviews online. I was even happier to find out that you offered laughing gas. The assistant was great! She explained the procedure thoroughly to alleviate any stress and anxiety during my appointment. Nothing can describe how grateful I am to Dr. Greene. He is the best in everything. I really recommend him to everyone. He is very experienced, nice and humble.
I drove 2 hours to get there for a root canal. So glad I did. This is my third root canal. First one was a disaster. Besides being scared and not put at ease by the dentist, the tooth had to be pulled because it cracked. Still had to pay the full amount of bill. Second root canal was better. Different doctor.
Dr. Greene was amazing. Office is designed for the patients comfort and to give you the best experience possible. I had a serious infection in roots of one tooth. He told me it was a tough tooth to deal with and possibly infection could come back in time. I appreciate his up front approach and that made me aware I need to watch for future problems. He didn’t send me out the door thinking everything is all right. I will defiantly go back to him.