West Wind Dental: Sedation Options for Your Dental Visit

What Kind of Sedation is Used at West Wind Dental?

Here at West Wind Dental, we want you to LOVE going to the dentist but for someone with dental anxiety, that can seem impossible. That’s why we have invested in several methods to reduce your anxiety and help you feel relaxed throughout your whole dental visit. 

 

We offer several different sedation choices at our office in Portage, Michigan to calm any anxiety you may have and make your dental experience positive and effective. 

 

We can provide sedative treatment for the following individuals:

• Patients with fear or anxiety

• Patients with special needs

• Patients having surgical procedures

• Patients with a severe or overly sensitive gag reflex

• Patients who have difficulty getting numb or a decreased sensitivity to anesthesia

Hear what our patient Lisa had to say about her experience being sedated at West Wind Dental.

Our dentists have special certifications to provide many forms of sedation dentistry to help you feel calm, relaxed, and at ease during dental procedures. The sedation methods we offer are:

• Oral sedation

• Nitrous oxide/oxygen sedation

• Intravenous (IV) sedation (moderate depth) via medications given in a vein

• Or combinations of the above!

Sedation Methods Available

at West Wind Dental

Oral Sedation

The dentist will give you a sedative medication in the form of tablets or liquid. These will lessen your anxiety and allow for dental procedures to be done in a relaxed state of mind.

Nitrous Oxide/Oxygen Sedation

The dentist will provide nitrous oxide/oxygen or commonly referred to as “laughing gas” to you through a nose mask or cannula. The dentist will be able to adjust the dosage accordingly throughout your procedure depending on your feedback. You will be fully awake and once the procedure is over, we give you pure oxygen to flush the nitrous oxide out of your system and you are able to drive yourself home!

Intravenous (IV) Sedation

The dentist will deliver sedative medications directly to your bloodstream through an IV line. As your procedure takes place, the dentist monitors your heart rate, blood pressure, and oxygen levels and can adjust the dosage or use reversal medication if necessary. Depending on your desired dose, you may fall asleep when given sedatives through an IV and won’t have the memory of the procedure taking place.

We strive to make local anesthesia more comfortable by utilizing state-of-the-art techniques and equipment for cases such as fitting dental crowns, inputting dental implants, filling cavities, and more. Patient comfort is at the forefront of our minds while providing the best quality dental care.

Experience the West Wind Difference

We can provide one form of sedation or a combination of sedation medications to perform your procedure. Treatment plans are customized to meet your individual needs. Learn more about what to expect at your first visit or contact us to schedule an appointment at West Wind Dental. 

A Fond Farewell to Dr. Ashley Muehleise

Dear West Wind Dental Family,

It is with mixed emotions that we announce the upcoming departure of our beloved associate dentist, Dr. Ashley Muehleise, who will be leaving our team in September to pursue her passion for community dentistry and focus her care towards the underserved members of our community. Over the past three years, Dr. Muehleise has been an invaluable member of our practice, bringing exceptional skill, compassion, and a warm smile to every patient she treated. Her dedication to improving the oral health of our community has left a lasting impact, and while we will greatly miss her, we wholeheartedly support her decision to follow her passion. We are excited to see the difference she will make in the lives of those in need. Please join us in wishing Dr. Muehleise all the best in her new journey. Thank you, Ashley, for your contributions to West Wind Dental-you will always be part of our family!

For our patients, we want to assure you that our commitment to providing the highest quality of care remains unchanged. Our team is here to continue serving you with the same level of dedication and compassion you have come to expect from us.

Dr. Ashley Muehleise, DDS | West Wind Dental Team

Warm regards,

The West Wind Dental Team

New Hours Effective Monday, Febrary 13, 2023

Monday:
7 am – 12 pm
1 pm – 4:50 pm
*Doors locked during lunch hour.

Tuesday:

 7 am – 2 pm

Wednesday:

7:00 am-4:50 pm, closed for lunch from 12:00-1:00 pm (door will be locked)

Thursday:

 7:00 am-2:00 pm

Friday:

 7:00 am-noon