Frequently Asked Questions

What is Dentistry Asleep ®?

Dentistry Asleep ® describes a variety of special techniques that allow you to receive treatment in comfort by promoting a peaceful state of relaxation or sleep.

These techniques and special medications promote light or deep sedation, or light levels of general anaesthesia, and thereby eliminate the pain and stress that make many people anxious about dental treatment. They also allow you to receive multiple procedures in a single visit. Dentistry Asleep ® is unlike hospital general anaesthesia in that it is lighter and less stressful on your body.

Who can benefit from Dentistry Asleep ®?

If you're a busy patient, Dentistry Asleep ® provides the benefit of completing more procedures in one session. This means that extensive treatment can be completed with fewer visits. If you feel anxious about dental visits, or often gag during treatment, Dentistry Asleep ® can help by letting you avoid the discomfort that contributes to anxiety and stress. If you have certain medical conditions – such as allergies, asthma, diabetes, or hypertension – the stress reduction and close patient monitoring of Dentistry Asleep ® can actually make treatment safer.

Can my child benefit from Dentistry Asleep ®?

If your child requires extensive treatment, Dentistry Asleep ® can allow more treatment to be done in one session. This means fewer visits to the dentist.

If your child is frightened, or has difficulty at the dentist, Dentistry Asleep ® can help them receive quality dental care while avoiding the sensations and discomfort that contribute to anxiety and stress. This reduction in stress can make dental treatment safer, especially if your child has a medical condition such as asthma.

Is Dentistry Asleep ® safe?

This is a common question, and the answer is that Dentistry Asleep ® is exceptionally safe. The rigorous controls and precautions that we maintain make its safety similar to that of local anaesthesia (freezing) alone. In fact the safety of Dentistry Asleep ® is comparable to that of such common activities as automobile or commercial air travel.

After the treatment is vomiting normal?

With the modern medications and techniques post operative nausea and vomiting are rare, however it may occur in rare circumstances.

When will I feel “normal” again?

Most patients will feel back to normal by the time of discharge from the office however they are not allowed to drive or operate machinery for 18 hours after the appointment.

How much does it cost?

The cost of Dentistry Asleep ® depends on how extensive your or your child’s treatment is. Many insurance plans reimburse all or much of the costs associated with this kind of dental care

What are teeth made of?

Each tooth is made up of many different parts. The top of your tooth is called the crown, and it is covered with enamel. Enamel is the hardest material in the body—it’s even harder than bones! Enamel protects the inside parts of teeth that you can't see. Underneath the enamel is dentin. Dentin is also very hard, almost like bone, and makes up most of your tooth. At the very center of each tooth is the pulp. The pulp is where you would find nerves, which let your teeth feel different sensations, and blood vessels, which let your teeth get what they need to stay healthy. Underneath your gums, at the bottom of each tooth, is the root. The root is covered by cementum, so it’s like your body’s very own super-strong glue. The cementum holds your teeth into your jawbone.

Is it OK to wiggle or pull out a loose baby tooth?

Wiggling a loose baby tooth to help it along probably will not hurt anything, but if you pull it out too soon, it could bleed a lot and might hurt more, too. So it's probably best to just let nature decide when a baby tooth is ready to come out.

What's the difference between a canker sore and a cold sore?

Canker sores are often confused with cold sores. An easy way to distinguish between the two is to remember that canker sores occur inside the mouth, and cold sores usually occur outside the mouth.

A canker sore is a small ulcer with a white or gray base and red border. There can be one or a number of sores in the mouth. Canker sores are very common and often recur.

A cold sore, which is also called fever blister or herpes simplex, is composed of groups of painful, fluid-filled blisters that often erupt around the lips and sometime under the nose or under the chin. Cold sores are usually caused by herpes virus type I and are very contagious.

Canker sores usually heal in about a week or two. Rinsing with antimicrobial mouth rinses may help reduce the irritation. Over-the-counter topical anesthetics can also provide relief. Cold sores usually heal in about a week. Over-the-counter topical anesthetics can provide temporary relief and prescription antiviral drugs may reduce these kinds of viral infections.

Where do you recommend I look for more information online
about dental care and health?

Here are some links to other websites you may find valuable:

• American Dental Association
• Canadian Dental Association
• Ontario Dental Association
• Ontario Dental Hygiene Association
• Colgate Oral and Dental Health Resource Center
• WebMD Oral Health Center
• Carifree.com
• American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry
• American Society of Dentist Anesthesiologists
• Academy of General Dentistry
• American Society of Periodontology

As always, if you have any questions or want to know more about your treatment, just ask me!