CONSCIOUS SEDATION

& COMFORTABLE DENTISTRY

Providing comfortable Dentistry in Telluride, Ridgway, Montrose, and the surrounding Colorado mountain community

What is Conscious Sedation Dentistry?

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People avoid the dentist. Not because they don't care about their teeth, but because past experiences made it hard to come back. We see this all the time, and we take it seriously.

At Elevated Dental, we offer sedation options designed to make your visit feel manageable, whether you're dealing with dental anxiety, a strong gag reflex, or you just want to get through more work in one sitting without it being an ordeal.

Ready to book at appointment? Call us at 1-970-728-3665

telluride elevation dentist conscious IV sedation

What Sedation Options We Offer

Elevated Dental offers both oral sedation and minimal sedation to help ease the anxiety of our patients.

Minimal Sedation:

Minimal sedation allows the patient to achieve a relaxed and drowsy, but awake state. Minimal sedation is administered by one of two ways: nitrous oxide gas or by an anti-anxiety pill taken one hour before the appointment.  

Nitrous Oxide (laughing gas):

Administered through a mask placed on the nose. Nitrous does not put the patient to sleep and wears off immediately once the procedure is complete. We obviously use the highest, pharmaceutical grade Nitrous Oxide - and it is mixed with 70-80% pure Oxygen (far more Oxygen that you’re already receiving per breath at nearly 9000 feet). It is 100% safe - and you’ll be feeling great!

Oral Conscious Sedation:

Treatment begins with the patient taking a small pill in our waiting area one hour before the appointment begins.  The patient then achieves a level of consciousness in which he/she is relaxed but conscious.  One of the great benefits of oral conscious sedation is the effect the drug has on the patients' memory.  The patient often will not have any recollection of the procedure.  A medication can also be prescribed before the treatment to help ease anxiety the night before the treatment so you can have a good nights rest.  With oral sedation, you will not be able to eat 6 hours before the procedure and will need an escort to drive you home and look after you until the effects subside.

Who Sedation Is a Good Fit For?

Sedation isn't just for people with severe anxiety. Patients choose it for all kinds of reasons, such as:

  • They've had a bad experience at a dentist before and want to ease back in.

  • They have a sensitive gag reflex that makes routine care uncomfortable.

  • They need a longer procedure and want to get through it without it feeling like a grind. 


  • They've been putting off treatment for a while and want to take care of multiple things in one visit.

If any of that sounds familiar, it's worth asking about when you call.

Ready to Schedule an Appointment?

We'll talk through your options before your appointment so you know exactly what to expect. There are no surprises, no pressure to do more than you're comfortable with. If you have questions about whether sedation is right for your specific situation, just ask. That's what we're here for.

Please give us a call or email us with any questions and to see if sedation is right for you.

CALL US: (970) 728-3665
EMAIL US: office@elevateddentaltelluride.com

Serving Patients from Montrose, Ridgway, and the Surrounding Area

Patients regularly make the drive to Telluride from Montrose, Ridgway, and other nearby communities for care that feels different from the standard dental appointment. If you've been looking for a practice that takes your comfort seriously, we'd love to meet you.

IV Sedation & Dentistry Pain & Anxiety Management
(Frequently Asked Questions) 

Anxiety Management FAQ

  • Very common. Studies put the number of adults with some degree of dental fear between 36 and 60 percent. Around 12 percent of adults have fear severe enough to avoid the dentist entirely. If you are anxious about coming in, you are not unusual and you are not going to be judged for it.

  • We have several, and they can be layered depending on how significant the anxiety is. Nitrous oxide is the lightest option. Oral sedation (a pill taken before you arrive) is a step up. IV sedation is the most effective for patients with significant phobia or who need longer procedures. We can also just take things slowly, explain everything before we do it, and give you full control to pause at any time.

  • Tell us. The most useful thing you can do is be upfront when you schedule. It changes how we set up your appointment, how much time we allow, and what we have available for you. Trying to white-knuckle your way through without saying anything usually makes it worse.

  • We do. Warm blankets, TVs overhead, and a staff that actually talks to you like a person rather than working around you while you lie there wondering what is happening. The goal is that coming here feels different from the average dental office.

  • Yes. A lot of patients do. Blocking out the ambient sounds of the office makes a meaningful difference for many people. Bring what helps you. We have overhead TVs with Netflix and YouTube in our operatories as well.

Dental Pain Management FAQ

  • We use local anesthetic, most commonly lidocaine or articaine, injected near the tooth or into the surrounding tissue. The injection itself is the part most people dread, but we apply a topical numbing gel first so the needle is barely felt. The numbness kicks in within a few minutes and lasts well past the end of the appointment.

  • A few things affect how well local anesthetic works: infection in the area (infected tissue is more acidic and can reduce effectiveness), natural anatomical variation in nerve position, and individual differences in how people metabolize the drug. Some people genuinely need more. If you have had experiences where the numbing did not work properly, tell us before your appointment. There are techniques that help.

  • Raise your hand. That is the signal and we will stop immediately. You will never be asked to push through discomfort. Getting more anesthetic takes two minutes and is always an option. Being in pain during dental work is not something you have to accept, and it is not something we consider normal here.

  • For most routine procedures, over-the-counter ibuprofen and acetaminophen taken together (if you have no contraindications) works better than either one alone. That combination is actually what most oral surgeons recommend. We will give you specific instructions based on your procedure. Prescription pain medication is sometimes appropriate and we will discuss it with you if needed. We’ll do our best to make sure you get what you need!

  • We work around it. There are other analgesic options and we will look at your full health picture before recommending anything. Just let us know your restrictions when you schedule.

Nitrous Oxide Therapy FAQ

  • Nitrous oxide, also called laughing gas, is a colorless gas you breathe in through a small mask placed over your nose. It reduces anxiety and raises your pain threshold without putting you to sleep. The effect comes on in about three to five minutes. Dentists have been using it safely since the 1800s, which makes it one of the most tested sedation methods in medicine.

  • The main difference is depth and recovery time. Nitrous keeps you alert and in control. You can still talk, respond, and drive yourself home afterward because it clears your system within minutes of removing the mask. IV sedation is deeper and longer-lasting and requires a driver. Nitrous is the right choice for mild to moderate anxiety. IV sedation is better for significant phobia or longer procedures.

  • Probably not, despite the nickname. Most people feel warm, relaxed, and slightly floaty. Some people feel a mild tingling in their hands and feet. The laughing association comes from higher concentrations that dentists do not use in a clinical setting.

  • It is safe for most patients, including children. There are a few situations where we would not use it: first trimester pregnancy, some respiratory conditions, vitamin B12 deficiency, and a handful of other medical factors. We go through your health history before using any sedation, nitrous included.

    We use the most pure, medical grade Nitrous Oxide available and mix it with 70-80% pure oxygen. You’ll be breathing more oxygen per breath than you would at sea level. The effects of the Nitrous wear off in minutes and the Oxygen boost will have you feeling clear headed for the rest of the day.

  • Eat lightly a few hours before if possible. A heavy meal right before can occasionally cause nausea, but it’s quite rare. This is less of a concern than with IV sedation but still worth keeping in mind.

  • Yes. That is one of the main advantages. We give you pure oxygen for a few minutes at the end of the appointment to flush the nitrous out, and most people feel completely normal within 15 minutes. You can drive, go back to work, pick up your kids. There is no lingering grogginess.