What is the difference between IV sedation and laughing gas?

Laughing gas is breathed through a nose piece, keeps you awake and relaxed, and wears off within minutes. IV sedation is given through a line in your arm and leaves you deeply relaxed with little memory of the procedure. At The Buckhead Oral Surgery Suite in Atlanta, both are used with local anesthesia.

Can I drive myself home after laughing gas?

Often, yes. Laughing gas wears off quickly once the mask comes off, and many adults can drive themselves home. If you also had oral sedation or feel at all drowsy, you'll need a driver. Our Atlanta team checks how you're feeling before you leave the office.

Which is better for wisdom teeth removal?

Most patients choose IV sedation for wisdom teeth, because it lets you rest through the procedure and remember little. Local anesthesia alone or with laughing gas is also an option for simpler cases. Dr. Okhiria in Atlanta helps you decide based on your scan, your health and how you feel.

Is laughing gas safe for kids?

Yes. It's commonly used for children because it works quickly and wears off fast. Dr. Okhiria uses it for many short procedures on kids and teens at our Atlanta office, always alongside local anesthesia, and she talks to children directly in plain words before anything happens.

Will I feel pain with laughing gas?

Local anesthesia numbs the area fully, so you shouldn't feel pain. Laughing gas helps you feel calm and less aware of pressure and sounds. If anything feels uncomfortable at any point, tell our team at The Buckhead Oral Surgery Suite in Atlanta and they'll pause right away.

IV Sedation vs Laughing Gas for Oral Surgery

If you're nervous about oral surgery, choosing how relaxed you'll be is one of the first things that helps you feel in control. In Atlanta, board-certified oral surgeon Dr. Jennifer Okhiria offers laughing gas, oral sedation and IV sedation, always alongside local anesthesia that numbs the area completely. Laughing gas suits shorter, simpler procedures and wears off within minutes, while IV sedation suits longer surgery like wisdom teeth and implants, and the right choice depends on your health, the procedure and how you feel about it.

Laughing gas, or nitrous oxide, is the lightest option. You breathe it through a small nose piece and feel relaxed within a few minutes, while staying awake and able to talk with the team. It wears off quickly once the mask comes off, so many adults can drive themselves home. It's a good fit for short procedures like a simple extraction, and it's commonly used for kids and teens because it works fast and leaves fast. The ADA's MouthHealthy guide notes that sedation can involve gases you breathe in, pills you take or medicine that is injected, and laughing gas is the first of those. So how does it compare with IV sedation?

IV sedation is medicine given through a small line in your arm that leaves you deeply relaxed and drowsy. You breathe on your own the whole time, and most patients remember little or nothing of the procedure afterward. It is not general anesthesia, which puts you fully to sleep with a breathing tube. For wisdom teeth, implants and most longer surgery, IV sedation is what many patients choose, and Dr. Okhiria gives it herself, with you monitored throughout. You can read more about how she keeps it safe in our guide to IV sedation safety.

Local anesthesia numbs the area completely, so sedation is about how you feel, not about pain control. For many simple extractions, local anesthesia on its own or with laughing gas is all you need. Longer or more complex surgery usually calls for IV sedation, and lighter options aren't the right fit there. Your health matters just as much: Dr. Okhiria reviews your full medical history before offering any sedation. "I don't take risk," she says. "If I feel like something is risky, I'm not going to do it." When office sedation isn't the safe choice for you, she arranges an anesthesiologist or a hospital setting, where she holds privileges.

Dr. Okhiria is a board-certified oral and maxillofacial surgeon and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, trained in a hospital setting that included general surgery, and by her own estimate she has done thousands of sedation cases. Her team checks equipment and emergency medications on a weekly and monthly schedule and runs emergency drills every quarter. "It's not about what happens when things go right," she says. "It's more about what happens when things go wrong." At your consult, she'll talk through each option with you and recommend the one that fits your health and your procedure, not a default. Read more about laughing gas and oral sedation and IV sedation in Atlanta.