Dental Sedation Services
Are you apprehensive about going to the dentist? Have you put off dental care for years because of dental anxieties? Or do you know someone in need of sedation because of behavioral problems (special needs patient i.e. an intellectually-disabled patient)? Would you enjoy having all of your dental needs taken care of and afterwards remember very little about your visit?
You are not alone. In fact, approximately 40 million Americans avoid the dentist because of fear and anxiety, according to the Academy of General Dentistry.
Dr. Jarwa is here to help you overcome your dental anxiety and regain your confidence about visiting the dentist. In our personalized approach, we offer several ways to assist you in receiving treatment while remaining relaxed.
Our services include:
Nitrous Oxide-N2O (Laughing Gas)
This allows you to relax during your treatment, and resume your normal activities after your appointment!
Nitrous oxide is best suited for cases of mild to moderate anxiety and is the most frequently-used method. Nitrous oxide is administered through a demand-valve inhaler over your nose that releases gas when you inhale through your nose. You will feel the effects within minutes and these effects are completely gone within minutes of the gas being turned off after your treatment.
Whether you require a single filling or are looking for a complete smile makeover, anxiety-free dentistry can help you achieve optimum dental health in the most comfortable way possible.
Oral conscious sedation
Our team is here to help you overcome your dental anxiety and regain your confidence about visiting the dentist. Oral medication is safe, economical and convenient, and this type of medication delivers a more relaxed state than nitrous oxide.
Oral medication is highly effective for mild to moderate anxiety. This type of medication is administered with a prescribed pill one hour before your appointment, to facilitate a state of relaxation. You can then have a worry-free dental experience.
Intravenous IV conscious sedation
If nitrous oxide and oral medication is not sufficient in relaxing you, or if you have a disability that makes you less receptive to the oral sedation, then intravenous sedation will help you to be comfortable and calm when undergoing dental procedures. Your treatment can be completed for you under intravenous sedation, if you so desire. Intravenous sedation or “IV sedation” (twilight sedation) is designed to better enable you to undergo your dental procedures while you are very relaxed. It will enable you to tolerate as well as not remember those procedures that may be very uncomfortable for you. IV sedation will essentially help alleviate the anxiety associated with your treatment. You may not always be asleep, but you will be comfortable, calm and relaxed, drifting in and out of sleep — a “twilight sleep”.
If you choose the option of intravenous sedation your IV sedation/anesthesia is administered and monitored by Dr. Tran, therefore eliminating the costly expense of having your treatment carried out in an operating room or same-day surgical facility.
I.V. Sedation Services
We are pleased to introduce Dr. Andy Tran MD, who has been providing I.V. sedation services in our community and worked closely with Dr. Jarwa at the Northern Virginia training center for years. Dr. Tran is a Mayo Clinic School of Anesthesia graduate (1977) with over 25 years’ experience and 25,000 cases to his credit.
We’ve chosen this professional for I.V. expertise in our office because of both safety and efficiency. Our team approach allows the anesthetist’s constant, personal and state-of-the-art electronic monitoring while we remain focused on providing quality dental care without distractions. This provides for single-visit dental treatment, usually in 1-2 hours. Because your comfort and safety are our main concern, we do require that you bring a friend, relative or caregiver to drive you home following an I.V. sedation procedure.
To provide you with the best service and personal attention, I.V. sedation services require at least one month advance scheduling. The anesthetist’s fees are separate and distinct from those charged for service provided by Grace Dental. Payment for Dr. Tran are required at the time of service in the form of cash, personal check or credit card. Generally I.V. sedation services for dental procedures are not covered by insurance, however, Dr. Tran will provide you with a billing statement to submit to your insurance for reimbursement.