Healthy Smiles Premier Dental

Laughing Gas

Commonly referred to as ‘laughing gas’, nitrous oxide is a chemical compound of the oxide of nitrogen. It has many uses such as it acts as an oxidizing agent in rocket fuels and as an increment of the power output of engines in motor racing.

However, nitrous oxide plays a significant role in medicine especially in dentistry and surgical operations.

Here at healthy smiles premier dental our dentists usually use the gas as an anesthetic and pain killer during dental procedures.

Laser Dentistry
Laser Dentistry

Nitrous oxide in dentistry

Since 1844, nitrous oxide has been used as an anesthesia and analgesia in dentistry and surgical procedures. It has pain reducing effects.

During which in that period of the century the gas was usually administered by the use of inhalers consisting of rubber cloth bag.

In the 21st century, the nitrous oxide is usually administered to patients by the help of analgesia equipment that has anesthetic vaporizer alongside a medical ventilator; delivering a precise dose and steady flow of nitrous oxide mixed with oxygen.

Usually, nitrous oxide is a weak anesthetic that oxygen is mixed with it for a more potent anesthetic procedure.

At healthy smiles premier dental, dentists administer nitrous oxide during oral surgeries, dental extractions, a root canal to relieve the patient of any dental pain.

When patients inhale nitrous oxide, they tend to be partly unconscious, hence, being able to offer an effective response to questions and instructions from the dentist.

Some instances may require a dentist to administer nitrous oxide; such can be persons with the phobia of dental procedures, stubborn children who need oral check-up and treatment, kids that can’t quite stand the dental pain and people who are uneasy during dental operations.

Nitrous oxide is commonly a recommended type of anesthesia at healthy smiles premier dental since it’s a pain-free and has few limitations.

Costs of nitrous oxide to the patient

On average, we charge patients $50 to $200 for nitrous oxide on a per visit basis.

However, other few factors may trigger this costs such as the dental procedure to be performed, the number of hours this dental process will take, the location, and the amount of nitrous oxide to be administered on the patient.

Advantages of nitrous oxide in dentistry

Nitrous oxide has several advantages that make it a useful tool for your dentist during dental operations:

  1. Acts faster making most patients be able to tolerate it well.
  2. A patient is usually partly unconscious; this allows them to engage in a chat with their dentist during the dental procedures.
  3. Its effects are not long lasting compared to other forms of anesthesia.
  4. It’s not harmful to children, and therefore, nitrous oxide can also be used by children.

Drawbacks of nitrous oxide in dentistry

  1. Nausea.
  2. Where nitrous oxide use is prolonged, the patient may become extremely sleepy.

When receiving nitrous oxide inhalation as part of cosmetic dentistry, we at healthy smiles premier dental often ensure that gas is administered in the right amounts. Your comfort and ease during dental processes are of importance to us.