At Gulf Coast Endodontics, patient comfort is our top priority. We go to great lengths to ensure a pleasant and relaxed experience during endodontic treatment. It is completely normal to feel concerned or even anxious about having a root canal. We understand – many people do.
Though it may not be an experience you are looking forward to, be assured that it is one many of our patients look back on with positive feelings. That’s right – you can feel great even during a root canal. 
Administering Dental Analgesia
Local anesthetic is the standard form of pain management during a root canal. While typically effective, it is not enough to calm the nerves and worries of patients with dental anxiety. At our office, we take a multi-step approach, numbing the treatment area and also administering dental analgesia to help you relax during your visit.
Analgesia, or nitrous oxide (N2O), is a safe and effective means of relieving both pain and anxiety during your root canal. Also known as ‘laughing gas’, this colorless gas is combined with oxygen to produce gradual sedation. Since many patients are concerned about being put to sleep during a dental procedure, nitrous oxide offers an attractive solution, allowing patients to remain awake throughout the root canal while still enjoying the benefits of analgesia.
What to Expect from Analgesia at Our Houston Endodontic Office
Most patients who take advantage of analgesia during their root canals report euphoric feelings and a calming sense of happiness, warmth and relaxation. In some cases, analgesia may even produce sleepiness or cause a patient to perceive sounds as distant, muffled or ‘white noise’. The gas itself has a pleasant taste and odor, and it typically takes only five minutes or less to start working.
We monitor all of our patients, customizing the amount of nitrous oxide they are exposed to as needed. Our goal is to help patients relax enough to feel calm during a root canal, yet still be capable of responding to the staff’s requests and questions during the procedure. At the conclusion of treatment, we administer oxygen, flushing the nitrous oxide from the body in just minutes. In fact, patients who undergo root canals with analgesia at our office are often able to drive themselves home after treatment.
For more information about dental analgesia and whether it may help you enjoy a better experience with your root canal, Houston, contact our office to schedule a consultation. We look forward to serving you soon.