For higher anxiety, a deeper level of relaxation than laughing gas can make all the difference. Oral sedation offers that in the form of a prescribed medication taken before your visit.
Oral sedation uses a prescribed sedative (typically triazolam, also known by the brand name Halcion) taken ahead of your appointment, so you arrive relaxed and stay calm throughout. It makes most people very sleepy. You can still respond if we ask you something, but it often has an amnesic effect, so you may not remember much of the visit afterward. You'll need a trusted adult to drive you to and from the appointment.
And for patients who need a deeper level of care still, such as some special-needs patients, we can bring in an anesthesiologist for IV sedation or general anesthesia.