Safe & Comfortable Options For Sedation Dentistry at Life Dental

Regular dental visits are essential for maintaining healthy teeth and gums. Yet for nearly 40% of the population, anxiety keeps them away from the dentist’s chair — and puts their oral health at risk.

If you find yourself in this category, Oxford’s Life Dental now has a solution. The clinic recently welcomed sedation dentistry specialist Dr. Todd Fincher, DDS, to their team and can now offer patients a safe and comfortable alternative to traditional dentistry.

Fincher, who has practiced dentistry for over 35 years in his hometown of Greenwood, has 15 years of experience with sedation dentistry. He has treated over 200 patients using the method with no post-operation problems.

Some of the procedures Fincher has performed under sedation include installing dental implants, removing decaying teeth and installing bridges, placing veneers,

completing smile makeovers, and performing routine dental procedures successfully and safely.

“This is a game-changer for Life Dental,” said Dr. Mike Huggins, DDS, Life Dental’s executive officer and lead dentist. “With Todd’s help, we’ll be able to do even more implants, smile makeovers and other cosmetic dental work while ensuring our patients are safe and comfortable.”

Fincher, who studied at the Louisiana State University School of Dentistry, said that his training in sedation dentistry has transformed his ability to care for patients who might otherwise avoid dental work.

“I’ve done all types of dentistry under sedation. A lot of my patients receive full-mouth restorations,” he said. “It’s a great choice for patients with high anxiety or who don’t take well to numbing.”

The technique Fincher uses for his sedation is the safest method available in dentistry. It was instituted following a decade of research into its safety and effectiveness and primarily uses Propofol, a non-narcotic medication, to sedate patients. Patients are also given pain medication via an IV before they wake up to dull any pain they may experience as they come out of sedation.

Life Dental employs a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) for all cases to monitor the patient’s vitals and brain activity to ensure their safety throughout the entire procedure.

“This oversight helps us know how a patient is doing and where they are in their sedation,” Fincher said. “It’s the safest way to ensure they are properly sedated.”

Fincher said that he is excited and honored to begin caring for patients in Oxford.

“My patients have an unbelievable trust in me to perform these surgeries,” Fincher said. “It’s such an honor and it’s so humbling to have that trust and to bring it to new places across Mississippi.”