Sedation options at Lambton Dental
Some patients feel anxious about the dentist; others need more than one procedure in a single visit. Lambton Dental offers three levels of sedation — nitrous oxide, oral sedation and IV sedation — chosen after a careful review of your medical history, so the visit stays as calm and comfortable as possible.
What sedation levels do you offer?
Lambton Dental offers three levels of dental sedation. Nitrous oxide (also called laughing gas) is a light sedative inhaled through a small mask over the nose; it takes effect within minutes, wears off very quickly and lets you drive yourself home. Oral sedation uses a prescribed tablet taken before the visit to produce a deeper, calm state — you remain conscious but relaxed and often remember little of the visit. IV sedation delivers medication through a small cannula in the arm for a deeper level of sedation, and is used for longer or more complex visits.
IV sedation is performed by dentists at Lambton Dental who hold the required RCDSO parenteral permit, in line with Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario regulations. Every sedation option is planned only after the dentist reviews your medical history in detail, and any option can be declined at the visit if you change your mind.
When sedation may be the right choice
Sedation is worth considering when:
- Dental anxiety has kept you from booking regular visits for a long time.
- You have a strong gag reflex or find it hard to sit still for longer procedures.
- Several procedures — for example implant placement, extractions and restorations — are planned together and would be more comfortable in one visit.
- Local anaesthetic alone is not enough for you to feel truly comfortable during treatment.
- A younger patient or a patient with special needs would benefit from a calmer visit.
The dentist reviews your medical history, current medications and any allergies at a pre-sedation consultation and recommends the option — nitrous oxide, oral or IV sedation — that suits your situation. If sedation is not appropriate for you, the dentist explains why and offers alternatives such as spaced-out visits.
What to expect with sedation
Pre-sedation consultation
The dentist reviews your medical history, medications, allergies and previous sedation experiences, and explains which level of sedation is suitable for you.
Written consent and instructions
You receive written pre-visit instructions — fasting for oral or IV sedation, transport arrangements, and any medications to hold or continue on the day.
Monitoring on the day
Your vital signs are monitored throughout the sedated visit — pulse, blood pressure and oxygen saturation — with equipment appropriate to the sedation level being used.
The dental procedure
The dentist performs the planned dental work while you remain calm and comfortable. Local anaesthetic is still used at the tooth so you do not feel the treatment itself.
Recovery
After nitrous oxide you recover within minutes and can drive yourself home. After oral or IV sedation you rest in the operatory until you are ready to leave with a responsible adult.
Follow-up call
The team calls you the next day to check on how you feel and answer any post-visit questions before you return to your normal routine over the following days.
You must be accompanied home by a responsible adult after oral or IV sedation, and you should not drive or make important decisions for the rest of the day. Written pre- and post-visit instructions are always provided.
After a sedation visit
Recovery depends on the level of sedation. Nitrous oxide wears off within minutes and most patients return to work the same day. Oral and IV sedation take longer to clear — expect to rest for the remainder of the day and to avoid driving, operating machinery, drinking alcohol and making important decisions for at least 24 hours. Eat lightly at first and drink plenty of water.
Any dental procedure done at the sedated visit — a dental implant, a tooth extraction, or a longer restorative appointment — has its own aftercare instructions that the dentist reviews with you and with the responsible adult accompanying you home. If anything feels unusual after the sedation, call the office right away.
Cost, insurance, and CDCP / IFHP coverage
The cost of sedation depends on the level used and the length of the visit. Nitrous oxide is billed by time in short units; oral sedation is billed by time in longer units, and IV sedation is billed by time by a dentist qualified in parenteral sedation. The fees follow the Ontario Dental Association suggested fee guide and are provided in writing before the sedated visit is booked.
Some Canadian dental insurance plans cover sedation when it is medically necessary — for example for a patient with severe dental anxiety, a strong gag reflex or a special-needs requirement. We direct-bill wherever your plan allows. Lambton Dental is also a provider for the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) and the Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP); sedation coverage under these programs is limited and depends on eligibility.
Financing is available for larger sedated treatment plans through a third-party partner on approved credit; our payment options page explains billing openly.
For larger treatment plans, monthly payment plans through a third-party financing partner are available on approved credit — ask at your consultation or see our payment options.
Why patients choose Lambton Dental for sedation
- Three levels of sedation are available under one roof so the option can be matched to your visit.
- IV sedation is performed by dentists at Lambton Dental who hold the required RCDSO parenteral permit.
- A pre-sedation consultation reviews your medical history in detail before any option is booked.
- We direct-bill CDCP, IFHP and major Canadian insurance carriers wherever your plan allows.
- Evening and weekend appointments make it easier to fit in a sedated visit around work or family.
- Our team serves patients in English, French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Hindi, Punjabi, Urdu, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Ukrainian, Mandarin and Cantonese.
Related services
Frequently asked questions about sedation
Which level of sedation is right for me?
It depends on how anxious you are, how long the planned procedure is and your medical history. Nitrous oxide is often enough for mild anxiety or shorter visits, oral sedation for moderate anxiety or longer visits, and IV sedation for deeper anxiety or longer combined procedures. The dentist reviews the options with you at a pre-sedation consultation and recommends the level that suits you.
Is IV sedation performed by an anaesthetist?
IV sedation at Lambton Dental is performed by dentists who hold the required Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario parenteral sedation permit. All the necessary monitoring — pulse, blood pressure, oxygen saturation and a trained assistant — is in place throughout the visit, in line with RCDSO regulations. In rare cases, a hospital-based procedure with an anaesthetist is more appropriate and is arranged for you.
Will I be asleep during IV sedation?
IV sedation produces a deep level of relaxation. Most patients drift into a light sleep and remember little to nothing of the visit, but they are not fully unconscious in the way that a general anaesthetic produces. You remain able to respond to simple instructions, which is one of the reasons sedation dentistry has a strong track record of safety.
How long does oral sedation last?
Oral sedation takes about 30 to 60 minutes to take effect and lasts several hours. Most patients feel drowsy for the rest of the day and back to normal by the following morning. A responsible adult must accompany you to and from the visit, and you should not drive, operate machinery or drink alcohol until the next day. Written post-visit instructions are always provided.
Can I have sedation if I take other medications?
Many patients on regular medications can have sedation safely, but the dentist reviews every medication and health condition in detail at the pre-sedation consultation. Some medications interact with sedation drugs and need to be held or adjusted. This is one of the main reasons the medical history review is done thoroughly before any sedation option is booked.
Is sedation safe for older patients?
Sedation can be a good option for older patients where longer visits would otherwise be difficult, but the dentist reviews health conditions, medications and mobility carefully first. Lower doses and closer monitoring are used where appropriate, and in some situations a hospital-based procedure with an anaesthetist is a safer plan and is arranged for you.
Do you offer sedation for children?
Nitrous oxide sedation is available for children who are anxious about a dental visit, and often helps a child sit calmly for a filling or an extraction that would otherwise be difficult. Deeper sedation for children is arranged only where clinically appropriate and after a detailed review with the parent, and, in some cases, referred to a hospital or specialised facility.
Book a sedation consultation
Book online or call (416) 666-3700 to arrange a sedation consultation. The dentist will review your medical history and recommend the level of sedation that suits your visit.
CDCP welcome
We welcome patients covered under the Canadian Dental Care Plan and can help you understand what's covered.
Learn about CDCP →IFHP welcome
We are registered to treat patients under the Interim Federal Health Program and bill Medavie Blue Cross directly.
Learn about IFHP →Direct billing
We bill all major Canadian dental insurance carriers directly, so you pay only what your plan does not cover.
How direct billing works →