Offering Complete Anesthesia Services
If you’re feeling nervous about your appointment or need extensive dental work, Dr. Michael K. Clark and our team offer the full scope of anesthesia options to ensure that your treatment is as smooth and as comfortable as possible. All the staff at Foothill Oral Surgery Center are well-trained in caring for patients who are anxious or fearful, with your safety being of the utmost importance when it comes to your procedure. Dr. Clark is on the State Dental Board General Anesthesia Examiner Panel and has also served as an instructor for outpatient general anesthesia at Los Angeles County/ USC Medical Center. With extensive training and experience in dental anesthesia services and emergency preparedness, Dr. Clark is uniquely qualified to offer office-based sedation dentistry in Mission Viejo, CA. We’ll help alleviate your fears and provide the ultimate in comfort and safety during your procedure.
Benefits of Sedation Dentistry
- Pain control for a comfortable procedure
- Optimal levels of relaxation and calm
- Little-to-no memory of the procedure
- More procedures completed at once
- Reduced gag reflex
Trained in Full-Service Anesthesia
As an oral surgeon, Dr. Clark has received the highest level of training in sedation and anesthesia, achieved through months of hands-on residency experience in a hospital setting. He’s licensed to provide office-based anesthesia and has the surgical facility and monitoring equipment to safely administer all levels of anesthesia. Assisted by his trained surgical staff, he can help you experience a pain-free and comfortable surgery, whether you need wisdom teeth extractions or full mouth dental implants.
Our Select Anesthesia Options
Oral Sedation
Anxiolysis is a form of oral sedation using a light sedative, such as Valium. To those patients who are very apprehensive about undergoing their procedure, Dr. Clark will often recommend using the anxiolytic medication before coming into the office. This medication puts you in a very calm and relaxed mood and is especially helpful for patients who fear needles. Oral sedation can be combined with nitrous oxide for an increased calming effect.
Nitrous Oxide
Nitrous oxide, known to many as laughing gas, is a safe and effective treatment commonly used in oral surgery. It is inhaled through a mask that covers your nose, and you will fall into a euphoric state and feel completely relaxed. Your feelings of fear and anxiety will fade away, leaving you to sit back peacefully while your oral surgery procedure is performed. Once the procedure is over the nitrous oxide will wear off fairly quickly, and you will probably be able to drive yourself home and return to your daily activities. Nitrous oxide is often used as the beginning sedative to general anesthesia to help in the placement of an IV.
IV Sedation
IV sedation is performed intravenously. It helps you both relax and have little-to-no memory of your appointment. While IV sedation won’t put you to sleep, you may feel relaxed enough to nap through the procedure, though you’ll always be awake enough to respond to verbal commands. With this option, you can undergo more complex treatment without any recollection of the sights, sounds, and smells of your appointment.
General Anesthesia
General anesthesia is a medically induced deep sleep that requires constant monitoring while you’re unconscious. You’ll need assistance to breathe as this level of anesthesia keeps you from feeling pain by slowing down some of your body’s natural functions. You’ll need someone to drive you home after your procedure and require a few days to rest and fully recover from the effects.
Anxiety-free surgery is possible.
Find out what sedation service is best for you at your consultation!