I’m absolutely terrified of the dentist but Dr. Anderkvist and his team made the whole process comfortable. Very grateful for how kind and understanding they were.
★★★★★ 
Our Services
Sedation Dentistry
Sedation Dentist in West Los Angeles, CA
Many people are not exactly thrilled to see their dentist. A bit of anxiety is normal, but paralyzing fear that makes you postpone your dental appointments is not. If you are too scared to set foot in the dental office, Los Angeles dentist Dr. Anderkvist has great news for you. At Westwood Dental Smiles, one of the comfort options of what is sedation dentistry can do for you.
My Mom’s first visit to Dr. Anderkvist Westwood Dental Smiles Office was very warm. My Mom was very comfortable with the Dentist and his Dental Assistants. I was surprised when she let them take x-rays. The x-rays showed that my mother needed an extensive amount of dental work done. Mother had to have Oral Surgery, which meant she had to be put asleep, and this was the scariest part.
Then I met with Dr. Anderkvist who would be doing the Oral Surgery. He explained the procedure, which made me fill comfortable. Dr. Chang was the Anesthesiology; she called me to discuss the procedure, and assured me that she would take care of my Mother. She had to be put asleep twice and she’s 87 years old.
My Mom’s Primary Doctor sent test results in order for the Dental work to be done. This was something my Mom always wanted to do, but she always put everyone else first.
Daisy is the Office Manager, she’s the best she help me understand the financial part. Daisy and Keisha the Receptionist were comforting while Mom was in surgery; they are very professional and sweet.
Thank God for Dr. Anderkvist and his wonderful Dental Staff.
After Mother’s Oral Surgery, her quality of life has improved greatly. I ask Mom how do you like you new teeth she replied. These are my teeth and they feel wonderful. I can eat without being in pain. “I’m Happy”
Thanks again Dr. Anderkvist
Doretha
Sedation Options
We want dentistry to be a rewarding experience where you leave with a smile on your face. Therefore, sedation offers different options. For example, we can offer nitrous oxide, which we call laughing gas, and that will reduce your anxiety, or we have sedation pills that you can take, which is a much further degree of sedation. Other options we have is IV sedation, which is an even further option within the sedation dentistry spectrum.
What is Sedation Dentistry
Sedation dentistry is the use of medications to help patients relax during dental treatments. Any procedure can be done under sedation, from routine teeth cleaning to complicated dental implant surgery. The sedative calms the central nervous system and puts the patient in a deeply relaxed state while remaining conscious throughout.
Sedatives relieve anxiety and feelings of dread, reduces your awareness of what’s happening around you and makes you remember little or nothing about sitting in the dental chair. Even if you’re not completely terrified of the dentist, sedation can guarantee a comfortable experience.
A Walk in the Park – Video explains Sedation
Top Reasons for Sedation Dentistry
Dr. Anderkvist finds the following are the most common reasons patients have sedation dentistry:
- Excessive anxiety or fear making relaxation difficult during an appointment.
- Overactive gag reflex (Gagging is a sudden, involuntary contraction at the back of your throat when an external object touches / passes through the back of your throat). This reflex attempts to stop objects entering the throat except as part of normal swallowing.
- Very sensitive teeth
- Urgent dental or gum issues.
- Sore jaws are sore due to any disease or condition
- Physical disabilities such as back or neck disorders
- Patient’s own choice or preference.
Benefits of Sedation Dentistry
There are numerous real benefits to patients who are given anesthesia during dental visits. The following are the most significant:
- SAFETY: To date, no major adverse effects have been reported. You are never left alone and your vital signs (pulse, blood pressure) are continuously monitored during the entire procedure.
- FREEDOM FROM PAIN: Depending on the type of anesthesia, you will have little or no memory of pain or discomfort.
- SPEED: With the help of dental sedation, long and complicated dental treatments can be quickly completed. Extensive procedures that might need 6 to 8 conventional visits can be easily performed in as little as one visit with sedation dentistry.
- EASE: For those who are anxious, have sensitive teeth and gums or periodontal disease, or have other health issues sedation dentistry reduces stress dramatically.
Sedation Methods
We do have several services, actually. One is a conscious sedation, and the other is also conscious but it’s intravenous , so it depends on which level of fear you have towards the dentist. By having special medication to take, the patient becomes completely fearless. First of all, they don’t remember afterwards how long a procedure it was, they don’t remember any oral pain, if there was there any pain from the injection… But, they communicate with you through the whole procedure, they’re talking, they’re not sleeping, they can tell you about their needs, if they need to go to the restroom, or if they need something, maybe they need some water; but all of them that I have treated, in my experience, they were very, very thankful and they didn’t feel a thing; and they loved the whole procedure.
The level of sedation can be adjusted to match your level of anxiety, tolerance for discomfort and factors like age and overall health. Nitrous oxide or laughing gas produces mild to moderate sedative effects. A small mask is placed over your nose and you inhale the gas. Besides the calming effects, nitrous oxide can produce euphoric feelings. The nice thing about it is that it leaves your system immediately as soon as your treatment is over and you can usually drive afterwards.
For a deeper level of sedation, your Westwood Dental Smiles dentist can prescribe oral or intravenous (IV) sedatives. Examples of oral sedation dentistry are Halcion and Valium. The pill is taken a few minutes before the procedure to allow it to take effect. IV sedatives are injected straight into a vein, so they work faster than pills taken by mouth.
Dr. Anderkvist: Sedation Benefits
We are offering sedation options for our patients because many patients have a fear of dentistry. Half of the US population doesn’t go to the dentist and that’s a real problem. And many times they don’t go because they have memory of previous trauma in their lives by going to the dentist or they have a fear of going to the dentist.
Therefore, sedation is a wonderful option, with simple means, puts you at ease, alleviates your fears and reduces your anxiety. You can have a lot of treatment done in a short period of time, you will have no memory of that treatment.
Dr. Anderkvist: Transitioning from sedation
Basically, sedation dentistry is a great option, but many times it is a transition for the patient back to normal, regular dentistry. Often, they come with fear, and within time by going through the treatments and realizing that the dental pain and the trauma isn’t there anymore, they can be eased back to a dental treatment without sedation.
Don’t let fear keep you from getting necessary dental care. Call 424-276-0915 now or click here to make an appointment with your dentist at Westwood Dental Smiles.
Dental services provided by Dr. Anderkvist: Click on links in box to learn more about each service.
New Patient Offers In Office Bleaching for $499 For all New Patients by request, when having a $500 Off Invisalign For all New Patients by request. Complete the form below or call our office to take advantage of these offers. |
We always have a very pleasant experience. The staff is very nice and professional, which is very important to us and the reason why we left the other dentist doctor Dushane is because Joey the…
★★★★★
Dr. Tomas Anderkvist and his staff provide excellent service to their clients, with care and understanding of individual needs. State of the art equipment and efficiency makes my dental appointments…
★★★★★
Dr. Anderkvist has been my Dentist for over 20 years. He is extremely thorough, knowledgeable and considerate in his dentistry, and what more could one want in their Dentist. Tomas Anderkvist, DDS,…
★★★★★
My teeth treatment experience with Dr. Anderkvist was outstanding! My tooth treated with a great care. Dr. Anderkvist did an amazing job and my tooth looks great now. Thank you!
★★★★★
I highly rate this dental office, my smile Is glowing! Friendly staff too
★★★★★
The dentists were very informative and sweet.
★★★★★
Absolutely lovely people and highly professional. I actually look forward to going to the dentist! Can you believe it?
★★★★★
Dental cleaning today. Anna was thorough and delightful as always.
★★★★★
Great service by a highly talented group. Everyone is extremely knowledgeable and nice. Highly recommended dental office. 5 out of 5 stars.
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