Comfort
Oral Sedation in Downtown Los Angeles
A tablet before the appointment, and the visit passes easily.
For treatment you would rather not be fully present for, oral sedation sits between nitrous oxide and IV. Smile LA Downtown Modern Dentistry offers all three, and which one suits depends on the treatment and on you.
How it works
How oral sedation works
You take a tablet before the appointment, so it is already working by the time treatment starts. It leaves you deeply relaxed and much less aware of the appointment passing, while still able to respond to us throughout. Most patients remember very little of the visit afterwards, which for some people is the entire point — the memory of previous appointments is often the thing keeping them out of the chair. It sits in the middle of the three options we offer, and the middle is a real position rather than a compromise: deeper than nitrous oxide, without the planning and the recovery of an intravenous route. What it does ask of you is a driver and an afternoon.
- Taken before you arrive Nothing to inhale and no needle for the sedation itself.
- You will need a driver The effect lasts beyond the appointment, so arrange for someone to take you home before the day.
- You stay responsive Relaxed rather than unconscious.
- Plan the day around it Unlike nitrous oxide, this is not something to fit into a lunch break.
The three compared
Choosing between the three
- Nitrous oxide Inhaled, wears off within minutes, and you can drive yourself home. See nitrous oxide sedation.
- Oral sedation This page — a tablet, and a driver.
- IV sedation For longer surgical appointments and for patients with significant dental anxiety. See IV sedation.
Tell us when you book
Anxiety about the dentist is common and it is worth saying so in advance — oral sedation in particular has to be planned, because of the tablet and the driver. All three options are set out together on the technology page.
Oral Sedation FAQ
- What is oral sedation?
- A tablet taken before the appointment, which leaves you deeply relaxed while still able to respond during treatment.
- Can I drive myself home?
- No. You will need someone to drive you, so arrange that before the day rather than on it.
- Will I be asleep?
- No — you stay responsive. Many patients remember very little of the appointment afterwards, but you are not unconscious.
- How is it different from nitrous oxide?
- Nitrous oxide is inhaled and wears off within minutes, so you can drive yourself home. Oral sedation is deeper and lasts beyond the appointment.
- When would you suggest IV instead?
- IV sedation is for longer surgical appointments and for patients with significant dental anxiety.
- Do I need to arrange it in advance?
- Yes. Mention it when you book — the tablet and the driver both need planning.
