Nitrous Oxide

Nitrous oxide, also known as “laughing gas” is an odorless gas used in dentistry for very light sedation. Dr Nicholas Calcaterra has been using nitrous oxide on adult and pediatric patients for years and is ready to use it on patients in our Orange, CT dental office.

About Nitrous Oxide
Nitrous Oxide or laughing gas in our Orange, CT dentist office for scared patients

Nitrous Oxide for use in our Orange, CT dental office

There are many benefits to the use of Nitrous Oxide:

  • Nitrous oxide can be used safely on both adult and pediatric patients.
  • Since it produces only a light sedation, no fasting or special pre-op requirements are necessary.  Patients are able to drive themselves to and from the appointment.
  • Very rapid onset and offset.
  • Nitrous oxide is effective in reducing gag reflexes for those patients who frequently gag during dental treatment.
  • Extremely safe – patients maintain all of their customary functions with negligible impact on their cardiovascular or respiratory systems.
  • Literally no side effects – patients rarely experience any type of “hangover” or nausea after nitrous oxide sedation.

Nitrous oxide is not indicated for certain patients including those patients who are pregnant, those with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), those requiring surgery of the middle ear, and few other circumstances. Dr. Calcaterra will review your medical history and current medications to assess whether you are a good candidate.

For those patients who are still too nervous for dentistry using nitrous oxide, or for those in which the level of sedation of nitrous is not sufficient, Dr. Nicholas Calcaterra offers IV and Oral sedation dentistry.  Dr. Calcaterra has personally completed hundreds of sedation cases over the past several years and is ready to assist patients in Orange and other towns such as Woodbridge, West Haven, and Milford who require deeper levels of sedation.  Visit our sedation dentistry page.