Let Your Cares Melt Away With Our Irvine Sedation Options
We never want you to feel nervous at our office, whether you visit us for a simple dental cleaning or a dental emergency. Let us take the stress out of any treatment with our sedation options in Irvine.

Sedation is something that's quite interesting to me, because a lot of offices will perceive these patients as bad patients. They're not. They need some extra help and we can offer it. I explain to the dental students when I teach in the dentist as well as my patients and this oversimplifies it, but dentistry sedation comes in three flavors. One drink, two drinks, and the whole six pack. Now it sounds funny but it's not that far off. In the office, one drink is Nitrous. And like one drink you can drive afterwards, you're street legal, you clear it very quickly. Two drinks and up though, you need a driver and you need some special handling. We have extra training in how to safely take care of these patients. Two drinks would be an oral sedation. Three drinks is IV sedation. Much like people that have had medical procedures, endoscopies colonoscopies. They know what this is like.
It's IV sedation, you definitely need a driver for that, and need proper monitoring. We've been teaching this at USC, at the dental school, and I've had the extreme privilege to work with some of the smartest people in that area. So sedation comes in three flavors, and big part of it is helping the patient decide which flavor they need. Someone that's mildly anxious, one drink will do the job. Nitrous is a great drug for them. It may not be enough for other people. They may need to talk about the more involved sedation options.
With our sedation dentistry, you can:
- Receive the right level of sedation to remain calm throughout your visit
- Not be bothered by a bad gag reflex, memories of a prior negative experience, or other issues that can make you anxious
- Choose from three safe forms of sedation
- Enjoy the option of staying relaxed long enough to undergo several procedures in a single visit
You’ll enjoy added peace of mind knowing you’re under the care of an experienced sedation dentist. Dr. Charles Tozzer has been administering sedation for 40 years. He was selected by the state of California to ensure that other dental professionals are complying with sedation safety regulations, and he conducts training at the Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC on sedation safety.
Call 949-304-2897 to schedule an anxiety-free appointment.
We Offer Three Kinds of Sedation
The degree of anxiety you feel at the dentist can vary greatly, depending on the treatment you’ll receive. You may feel only a little nervous about getting a dental crown but much more worried about a root canal. Yet many dentists offer only a single choice of sedation. To ensure you’re relaxed for any procedure, we offer three kinds of dental sedation:
- Laughing Gas – This is our most flexible form of sedation, as we can easily adjust the amount received by different patients. You’ll relax almost immediately when you breathe it in through a mask worn over your nose. It wears off quickly too and won’t leave you groggy, so you can even drive yourself home.
- Oral Sedation – We’ll prescribe a safe pill you’ll take before your appointment. You’ll arrive at our office already feeling calm and remain relaxed throughout your treatment. You’ll feel less aware of your surroundings than with laughing gas, though you’ll remain alert enough to communicate with us. Since the effects linger, you’ll need a ride home.
- IV Sedation – Administered intravenously, this is our strongest form of sedation. We recommend it for lengthy and/or complex procedures or for receiving multiple procedures in a single visit. You will likely remember little if anything about your treatment when it’s over.
Our Caring Team Keeps You Calm Throughout Your Visit
Whether or not you receive dental sedation, our welcoming atmosphere will help you feel relaxed. If English is your second language, simply communicating with our staff may stress you out. We have team members who can speak with you in Japanese, Thai, Laotian, or Tagalog!
You can also:
- Help yourself to a fresh-baked cookie (or just breathe in that wonderful smell)
- Enjoy a complimentary coffee or other beverage
- Use headphones to tune out the sounds of our office
To find out more about your sedation options in Irvine or make an appointment, call us at 949-304-2897.