Sedation Dentistry Palo Alto
Offering a range of sedation dentistry options to work with you to best manage your fear.
Overcome Dental Anxiety and Restore Your Smile in One Visit
Each of us has unique feelings and concerns about our dental health. Many of our patients in the Palo Alto and Menlo Park area feel nervous even thinking about a checkup, or avoid the dentist altogether. Dental phobia is more common than you might expect, and you shouldn’t have to sacrifice your health because of it.
We offer specialized Sedation Dentistry solutions designed to eliminate anxiety. Imagine arriving at our office, taking a small pill, and “waking up” with all of your dental work complete. It is a premium service we are proud to provide for our local family of patients.
What is Sedation Dentistry?
Sedation Dentistry is a process where a patient is sedated while remaining conscious and able to respond to the dentist. You will be in a deeply relaxed, dream-like state and often have little to no memory of the procedure afterward.
Expert Oversight: Only qualified dentists with specialized, comprehensive training can perform Sedation Dentistry. Our clinical team meets the highest safety standards to ensure your peace of mind and physical well-being throughout your visit.
Why Choose "Sleep Dentistry" for Your Care?
Beyond calming your nerves, sedation allows us to provide more efficient care for busy Peninsula lifestyles:
Complete More in Less Time: We can often perform complex dental work—which would normally require multiple visits—in just one appointment.
Ideal for Busy Schedules: Perfect for patients looking to minimize time away from work or school in Palo Alto.
Pain-Free Experience: Ideal for those with sensitive teeth, a strong gag reflex, or a low pain threshold.
Break the Cycle of Fear: By ensuring a positive, stress-free experience, we help you maintain long-term oral health without the dread.
Conscious Sedation
Conscious sedation is what terms such as “relaxation,” or “comfortable” dentistry are referring to. Conscious sedation can be achieved with nitrous oxide (best for patients with minimal anxiety or fear), or—for a deeper sedative result—with oral sedation such as valium (best for patients exhibiting mild fear, a mild gag reflex or for simpler/quicker procedures). Both of these conscious sedation options have been developed to relax patients who might otherwise experience heightened sensitivity as their pain or anxiety thresholds are aggravated by chemicals our bodies release in response to fear. Each conscious sedation option can be used alone, or may be combined to customize your depth and duration of sedation
Nitrous Oxide (inhalation sedation): Used for over 100 years, it is an excellent analgesic administered via a nasal hood and easily fine-tuned by the dentist. All bodily functions remain essentially normal, and effects wear off quickly.
Oral Conscious Sedation: The patient administers this him/herself, usually about an hour before treatment. After consulting with us, we will determine the most appropriate oral sedation medication and dosage based upon your health history and necessary duration of action. An added bonus of this option is that it has an amnesic that often leaves a patient with little or no memory after treatment.
Overcome Dental Anxiety in Palo Alto
At the practice of Palo Alto dentist Dr. Harry Tseng and Dr. Christine Hansen, we believe your peace of mind is just as important as your oral health. While we’ve designed our office to be a sanctuary of comfort, we understand that for nearly 15% of the population, dental anxiety is a significant barrier to care.
Whether it’s a “fleeing instinct” that leads to canceled appointments or physical symptoms like a racing heart and “dental fear dreams,” these feelings are a valid response to stress. Unfortunately, avoiding the dentist often leads to more complex issues—like infections or broken teeth—that only increase anxiety over time.
Our goal is to break that cycle. By offering a range of sedation dentistry options, Dr. Tseng helps you address your dental needs before they become emergencies. We provide a judgment-free environment where your fears are heard and managed, allowing you to achieve a healthy, confident smile in a state of total relaxation.
Sedation Dentistry Palo Alto
Offering a range of sedation dentistry options to work with you to best manage your fear.
Each of us has unique feelings and concerns about our dental health. Some of our patients get nervous even thinking about going to the dentist or avoid going altogether. Dental phobia is much more common than you might expect. It is for these patients that we offer a variety of solutions that will eliminate any anxiety. Imagine showing up at our offices, taking a pill and waking up with all of your dental work complete. It is a wonderful service and one that we are extremely proud to provide for our family of patients.
Sedation Dentistry is the process by which a patient is sedated and still conscious throughout the dental procedure; however, they are in a relaxed state and often do not remember the procedure at all. Only qualified dentists can perform Sedation Dentistry, they must have the comprehensive training to ensure the complete safety of the patient.
In addition to relaxing the patient, Sedation Dentistry allows for dental work that would have ordinarily taken multiple visits to be completed with only one visit. This allows for the patient to avoid missing extra work or school and helps to ease their fears about having to repeat an unpleasant experience again and again.
CONSCIOUS SEDATION
Conscious sedation is what terms such as “relaxation,” or “comfortable” dentistry are referring to. Conscious sedation can be achieved with nitrous oxide (best for patients with minimal anxiety or fear), or—for a deeper sedative result—with oral sedation such as valium (best for patients exhibiting mild fear, a mild gag reflex or for simpler/quicker procedures). Both of these conscious sedation options have been developed to relax patients who might otherwise experience heightened sensitivity as their pain or anxiety thresholds are aggravated by chemicals our bodies release in response to fear. Each conscious sedation option can be used alone, or may be combined to customize your depth and duration of sedationNitrous Oxide (inhalation sedation): Used for over 100 years, it is an excellent analgesic administered via a nasal hood, and easily fine-tuned by the dentist. All bodily functions remain essentially normal, and effects wear off quickly.
Oral Conscious Sedation: The patient administers this him/herself, usually about an hour before treatment. After consulting with us, we will determine the most appropriate oral sedation medication and dosage based upon your health history and necessary duration of action. An added bonus of this option is that it has an amnesic that often leaves a patient with little or no memory after treatment.