Category: Safety & Dentistry

What Else Happens In April: Facial Protection!

We have already provided you with a reminder that April is a month during which it’s time to focus on protecting yourself from oral cancer. Did you know that in addition to that topic, there’s another issue that receives national recognition regarding your oral health? Indeed! April is also National Facial Protection Month. Not familiar… Read more »

Does Sedation Dentistry Put You to Sleep?

Toward the end of the 20th century, the trend in dentistry shifted toward a more patient-focused approach to treatment. As a result, dentists refined their chairside manner, dental offices began boasting ergonomic exam chairs and gourmet coffee, and more practices began offering a variety of dental sedation options. Sedation dentistry reaches out to people who… Read more »

Three Groups of People Who Benefit from Sedation Dentistry

Have you ever wondered who goes in for sedation dentistry? This practice, sometimes inaccurately referred to as sleep dentistry, has helped dentists manage their patients’ discomfort during a procedure since nitrous oxide was first introduced in the mid-1800s. Since that time, the field has expanded to include oral conscious (pill) sedation and intravenous (IV) sedation… Read more »

Is Third Molar Extraction Surgery Safe?

Some high profile news stories emerged in the past two years detailing how apparently healthy young people have died as a result of routine third molar (wisdom tooth) extraction surgery. In most cases, the patient passed away as a result of an adverse reaction to the anesthetics or sedatives administered to manage discomfort during the… Read more »

Busting Two Common Misconceptions about Dental Sedation

You may have seen billboards around town advertising “sleep dentistry” or an “anxiety-free dentist,” and if you live with anxiety or fear associated with visiting the dentist, those promises probably seem pretty attractive. But are these guarantees too good to be true? Today, Shawn Hofkes, DDS, a Cerritos CA dentist with specialized training in sedation… Read more »