Benefits of Sleep Dentistry

Dr. Kevin Mahoney is a board-certified dental anesthesiologist and has been providing the benefits of dental anesthesia, as well as other pain-free dentistry services, to his patients for decades. Those benefits include:

  • Relaxation and patient comfort
  • Effectiveness of dental procedures administered
  • Time-saving - several dental procedures during a single visit

If you are one of the many people in the United States with a dental phobia, Dr. Kevin Mahoney and his highly trained staff can help you have a comfortable dental visit, no matter how old you are.

"By striving to offer the highest quality dental care, I hope to motivate you to choose excellence and to enjoy the long-term benefits of that decision. Fear and anxiety is the number one reason people avoid necessary dental care. I am dedicated to the comfort of those who place their trust in me. Sleep dentistry is an affordable, safe way to better dental health. I am confident I can help you have a comfortable and enjoyable experience."

-Dr. Kevin Mahoney

Special Considerations, Special Care

Dr. Kevin Mahoney is the only dental anesthesiologist in the Erie area certified by the American Dental Association. Dental anesthesia is a safe, effective, and efficient way to administer high-quality, pain-free dental care to those who would avoid or refuse treatment altogether. Dr. Kevin Mahoney has extensive experience working with a wide variety of special needs patients, including:

  • Elderly adults with dementia
  • Uncooperative children
  • Those who can’t get numb from local anesthesia, such as Novocaine
  • Those with dental phobias

Everyone deserves quality dental care, but not everyone deserves the same approach. For many of us, a typical dental visit may not be enjoyable, but it is still tolerable. For others, even routine dental procedures bring an impossible mental or physical hurdle. For these patients, sleep dentistry may be the ideal solution.


Dental Anesthesiologist Erie, PA

Frequently Asked Questions

What is sleep dentistry?

There are many differences between general anesthesia and IV sedation that have a big impact on how the procedures are practiced in sleep dentistry. Many dental offices use the term sleep dentistry when actually talking about IV sedation. This can be confusing because “sleep dentistry” is more similar to and descriptive of general anesthesia.

When under general anesthesia, the certified anesthesiologist manages your breathing through a tube. General anesthesia affects the entire body rather than a localized, specific area. When recovering, patients slowly come out of a sedated state.

A few of the main components of general anesthesia include:

  • You are totally unconscious (asleep)
  • You will not feel pain
  • You will have little to no memory of the procedure

There are several other forms of dental sedation in addition to IV sedation and general anesthesia including oral sedation or the use of laughing gas (nitrous oxide). The dental staff and certified anesthesiologists of Sleep Dentistry will help you determine which procedure best fits your needs and desires.

How long will I be sedated with sleep dentistry?

The amount of time you are sedated depends on the amount of work that needs to be done. We are experts and will be able to approximate the right amount of time to get the most amount of work done, resulting in fewer appointments and less stress. The average timeframe to be sedated is between 1 and 6 hours, although that may vary.

Is sleep dentistry right for me?

Sleep Dentistry is especially perfect for people with dental phobias. The dental staff of Sleep Dentistry Erie has extensive experience in practicing safe dental anesthesia procedures on a wide range of patients.

Multiple factors are taken into consideration when determining if you would make a good candidate for sleep dentistry, such as your overall health, history of allergies, and your anxiety level.

Dental anesthesia works well for people who have:

  • Fear of the dentist
  • Difficulty getting numb
  • A bad gag reflex
  • Very sensitive teeth
  • A limited amount of time for treatment
  • Complex dental problems, including extractions and immediate dentures

Whether you're someone who has a disability that prevents you from receiving traditional dental treatment or you simply hate going to the dentist, our dental staff can help by providing relaxing dental anesthesia treatment.

Is sleep dentistry safe?

Yes, Dental Anesthesia is very safe as long as it's administered by a certified dental anesthesiologist. They are extensively trained in the outpatient setting to make your experience as pleasant as possible.

Are there any other dentists who perform sleep dentistry?

Currently, Dr. Kevin Mahoney is the only doctor to have an unrestricted general anesthesia permit in Erie, PA.

Will sleep dentistry cure my dental phobia?

Sleep Dentistry is not a cure for anxiety or dental phobia. It should be viewed more as a temporary solution. Although some people have reported lessened anxiety after completing a session, this may vary from person to person.

If you or someone you know has a special consideration preventing them from getting the quality dental care they need, schedule an appointment with Dr. Kevin Mahoney online or by calling (814) 833-3505.

Where To Find Us

Address: 3915 Caughey Rd, Erie, PA 16506

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We Have an EXCITING Christmas Announcement!

Posted on October 18th, 2021 at 9:31 AM
We Have an EXCITING Christmas Announcement!

Hey there Friends!

We have an EXCITING announcement, but 1st we wanted to share a pic of our September Giving Tree. For those that don't know, along with our annual calendar contest we raise money all year long to help animals. If you live in the Erie area and would like to stop by the office for some doggy cuddles and join us in our mission to help animals in need, we would love to meet you! If you donate $10.00 or more, your name will be entered to win whitening for life here at our office. Now for the exciting news~ Artist, Ryan Semple at Ryan Semple Art has offered his amazing talent and will be painting the 2022 Special Edition, Limited Run calendar cover. For every calendar you order, not only will you be helping an animal in need, you will be getting one of a limited number of prints of the original painting on the cover of each calendar so be sure to check back on our page starting September 15th to pre-order yours! Calendars will be shipped in early December just in time to arrive for Christmas gifts for all those animal lovers in your life!

We wuffs you all!

Dogtors Gizmo & Gadget ❤