If you fear going to the dentist or suffer from dental anxiety, we can help. Dr. Jerome Cha enjoys giving fearful patients a pleasant experience to put them more at ease about future oral health visits. He is highly skilled and qualified in his field and has a kind, gentle personality and touch.
However, knowing that Dr. Cha is a kind, gentle, and skilled dentist will not take away the real anxiety and dread that patients with previous traumatic dental experiences can feel.
Dr. Cha offers sedation dentistry in Tulsa, OK, to make things easier for fearful patients. We use sedation dentistry techniques for some of our patients who utilize our cosmetic and general dentistry services.
Types of Sedation Dentistry in Tulsa, OK
Dr. Cha offers three types of sedation dentistry: nitrous oxide, oral sedation, and IV sedation.
Nitrous Oxide
Patients with mild dental anxiety benefit from nitrous oxide. Nitrous oxide is a sedative gas that is mixed with oxygen.
You breathe it in through a nose mask while Dr. Cha is working on your teeth, and it induces a relaxed state that seems to strengthen the Novocain and eliminate the stress of the dental appointment.
At the end of the procedure, you breathe pure oxygen for a couple of minutes, and all the effects are completely gone. In addition, nitrous oxide is convenient and has no after-effects, so you can return to work or drive home after treatment.
Oral Sedation
If you feel like you need a stronger sedative, oral sedation is very popular. You take a pill before your appointment. This will make you sleepy so that you will be completely relaxed and indifferent to the dental appointment. You may not even remember the procedure.
Effects linger past the appointment, so you need to have someone bring you to the office and drive you home afterward. Oral sedation is excellent for anxious dental patients, enabling you to have a great deal of dental work done in one appointment.
IV Sedation
The strongest level of sedation we offer is IV Sedation. Dr. Cha is one of a few dentists who has an IV sedation permit, and he also is certified in Advanced Cardiac Life Support.
The level of sedation with IV sedation is deeper than with oral sedation, though you are still conscious, and your protective reflexes are functional.
Qualifications for Sedation Dentistry
Dr. Cha has been doing sedation dentistry since 2004. He is DOCS (Dental Organization for Conscious Sedation) certified, which is the leading institute in dental sedation instruction. Dr. Cha also has a special permit for IV sedation and is ACLS certified.
Your safety is a top priority when you are under dental sedation. During both IV and oral sedation procedures, as an extra measure of safety, your vital signs are carefully monitored with a pulse oximeter.
Dr. Cha follows the standard safety precautions of the Dental Organization for Conscious Sedation. He realizes how hard it is to go to a dentist after many years. Our office will treat you with respect, and there will be no lectures on the importance of regular dental care.
Receive Comfortable Dental Care
Get on the road to good oral health. Request an appointment online or call Hope Restorative and Cosmetic Dentistry at 918-347-1114.