I had a pretty similar experience with laughing gas. It definitely took the edge off, but I was still aware enough to notice every little detail—like the dentist chatting quietly with the assistant or the weird sensation of pressure. IV sedation, on the other hand, was completely different for me too. I remember them starting the IV and then... nothing. Woke up feeling like I'd just blinked and missed the whole thing. The only downside was feeling a bit foggy afterward, but honestly, that's a small price to pay for zero anxiety during the procedure.
Your experience sounds pretty familiar to me too. Laughing gas definitely helps ease anxiety, but yeah, you're still pretty aware of what's going on. I remember being surprised at how clearly I could hear the dentist and assistant chatting about weekend plans while they were working on my tooth. It wasn't painful exactly, but the pressure sensation was definitely weird and a bit unsettling.
IV sedation was a totally different ballgame for me as well. Did you find yourself feeling nervous beforehand, or was it pretty easy to relax once they started the IV? For me, the anticipation was honestly the worst part. Once they got the IV going, it felt like seconds later I was waking up in recovery. I had no memory of the procedure at all, which was a huge relief.
The foggy feeling afterward wasn't too bad for me either—just felt like I'd taken a really long nap and needed some coffee to shake it off. Did you have someone drive you home afterward? I definitely wouldn't have trusted myself behind the wheel after IV sedation.
One thing I've wondered about is whether IV sedation is always necessary or if laughing gas is enough for simpler extractions. Maybe it depends on how anxious someone feels or how complicated the procedure is? Either way, it's great that there are options available to make dental procedures less stressful.
