Procedures:

Sedation Dentistry

Dr. Barney offers various sedation alternatives for patients with a wide range of needs. Sedation is an option for anxious patients who desire a comfortable experience in the chair, and for patients in need of extensive treatment or oral surgery. Dr. Barney will discuss with you these various alternatives and help you decide what is best considering your health, treatment needs, and anxiety level.

Nitrous Oxide

This is often called "laughing gas" and is very commonly used in both children and adults. Nitrous oxide is a comfortable alternative for very light sedation and will help patients to feel relaxed but still aware. It is often used to supplement other forms of sedation. The effects wear off quickly and there is no need to have someone else drive you home.

Oral Sedation

Oral sedation is an effective tool for anxious patients. This option involves sedative taken orally the night before and the morning of your appointment, although the procedure varies depending on the level of sedation you desire. Some patients are given a very light oral sedation just to take the edge off of their anxiety. Other patients choose a deeper sedation. Patients under oral sedation are in a very relaxed state and will experience partial to complete memory loss. You will need transportation home and need to plan on staying home the remainder of the day, as this sedation wears off slowly.

IV Sedation

Intravenous sedation is a very effective sedation option and most often used for oral surgery or for patients undergoing extensive treatment. It is also used for patients with extreme anxiety. For this type of sedation the doctor administers a sedative through an IV. Often nitrous oxide is used before the placement of the IV to reduce anxiety regarding the IV. Once the sedative has taken effect the patient is in a very relaxed state but is not asleep. In this state partial to complete memory loss occurs. The sedative is safely and easily reversed. Patients choosing this sedation option need to fast from food and drinks for six hours prior to their appointment and need transportation home. Generally, this option is used for patients aged 14 and older.

General Anesthesia in the Hospital

Small children, and those for whom other sedations are not an alternative, are often treated by Dr. Barney in the hospital under general anesthesia. In this case, the sedation is administered by an anesthesiologist while the dental treatment is performed by Dr. Barney. The patient is "asleep" and not in any way aware of the procedures. This is generally an alternative used when other sedation options have been ruled out due to age, health, or the most severe instances of anxiety.

R. Eric Barney, D.D.S.

Dr. Barney grew up in Eastern Idaho. He received a Bachelor of Science from Idaho State University. He then attended dental school at Creighton University in Nebraska, where he graduated in the top ten of his class.