May 23, 2018

The human mouth is a complex system of teeth and other oral structures responsible for helping your process the foods you consume, while also playing a critical role in breathing, speaking and your basic sense of taste. When any part of your mouth is compromised by tooth decay, gum disease, infection or some form of oral dysfunction, it can have a profound negative impact on your quality of life.

Here at Nuttall Smiles, we offer a wide range of services to help treat oral health problems to help restore a patient’s quality of life. With many of these procedures local anesthetic or some level of sedation is required to help the patient remain comfortable throughout the treatment process.

The patient’s anxiety, the general duration of the treatment and other considerations might factor into the level of sedation our dentist recommends.

A local anesthetic injection of procaine can often help numb a tooth and surrounding oral tissues for a short duration treatment such as applying a dental filling. Some individuals also like to inhale nitrous oxide.

Individuals with extreme dental anxiety, dental phobia or a disability might further require moderate to deep sedation. In a case like this the individual will not be able to operate a vehicle for two to three hours after the procedure, and they will require a safe ride home.

Where necessary Dr. Kent Nuttall or Dr. Jared Roberts will provide you with any necessary aftercare instructions.

If you have an upcoming treatment at our Auburn, Washington, clinic and you have a question about anesthetic or sedation, you should feel free to call (253) 939-0700 to speak to a member of Nuttall Smiles’s staff.