Implant Surgery & Support
Nitrous oxide sedation
Gentle relaxation that works within minutes and wears off just as fast — safe, quick-acting, and with no recovery time at all.
What it is
Nitrous oxide is a colourless, mildly sweet gas delivered through a small nasal mask, mixed with oxygen and administered at carefully controlled rates.
Effects begin within two to three minutes. Most patients describe a warm, floating sensation — you remain fully conscious and able to respond, but the anxiety recedes and time passes more easily.
The moment you stop breathing it, the effect lifts. There is no lingering grogginess and no recovery period.
Who it suits
Mild Nervousness
Patients who are not phobic but find dental visits uncomfortable enough to put them off. Nitrous takes the edge off without any of the preparation heavier sedation requires.
Routine Treatment
Cleanings, fillings, and similar procedures where the treatment itself is straightforward and the barrier is anxiety rather than complexity.
Children
Widely used in family dentistry, where it helps young patients through treatment that would otherwise be distressing.
Safety, and what it does not require
Nitrous oxide has over 150 years of clinical use behind it, and serious adverse effects are exceptionally rare.
Practically, it requires no fasting beforehand and no companion to drive you home. You can have it at a lunchtime appointment and return to work afterwards — which is precisely why it suits routine care.
For moderate to severe anxiety, or for complex procedures such as implant surgery, IV sedation administered by our on-staff dental anaesthesiologist is the more appropriate option.
Laughing gas for children
Nitrous oxide, or laughing gas, is the sedation we use most often for children. It has a long safety record in paediatric dentistry, it is breathed through a small, soft nose mask that children usually find funny rather than frightening, and it wears off within minutes of the mask coming off. Your child stays awake, can talk to us, and remembers the visit as an easy one.
Most children describe a warm, tingly, floaty feeling, and some giggle, which is where the name comes from. Because the effect lifts so quickly, your child can go back to school or normal play the same day. A light meal two hours or so before the appointment works well: an empty stomach can make children feel queasy, and a large meal just before can do the same.
Laughing gas suits mildly to moderately anxious children who can breathe through their nose and follow simple instructions. For very young children, children with a blocked nose, or children who need long or complex treatment, we will suggest other options, which may include treatment in shorter visits, a paediatric specialist, or deeper sedation with our dental anaesthesiologist. Read more about how we care for children on our children's dentistry page.
Questions about your procedure?
Ask about nitrous oxide when you book. Call (905) 479-7777.