Dental Services

Dental Sedation

If you're a nervous patient, sedation might be a good option for you. It can help you feel more relaxed during your dental treatment.

It’s common to feel a little anxious about visiting the dentist. Fortunately, there are different ways that our dentists can make you feel more comfortable during treatment. One of the most useful ways to relax you during dental treatments is with sedation. Patients often choose sedation for very complex dental treatments or surgery, including wisdom tooth removal or dental implants.

What is it?

Sedation involves the use of a sedative agent to help maintain a calm, restful state during treatment. It is a restful procedure, but you're still conscious and able to respond to voice prompts. However many patients have no recollection of the treatment they undergo.

We offer three types of sedation to help patients feel more comfortable, in addition, local anaesthetic is also used.

Most sedation options are only available at our specialist practices, please check with your practice ahead of time on which sedation options they have available to you.

Inhalation sedation involves breathing in nitrous oxide gas to decrease pain sensitivity. It’s commonly known as ‘laughing gas’ or ‘happy gas’ to reduce anxiety.

  • Patients are conscious and able to co-operate during the procedure
  • The effects wear off very quickly after treatment
  • There are rarely any aftereffects

Oral sedation is a sedative that is administered in a tablet or liquid form. It’s usually taken an hour before your appointment at the surgery.

  • Lasts 2 to 6 hours
  • Patients usually have little memory of the treatment once completed
  • For safety reasons, patients must have somebody collect them and take them home after their appointment

Intravenous, or IV sedation, involves a small injection of a sedative into your arm. Soon after the injection you will start to feel drowsy but very relaxed.

  • The level of sedation is more predictable than oral sedation
  • Patients will remain conscious throughout the treatment but have reduced anxiety and usually have little memory of their treatment
  • For safety reasons, patients must have someone to collect them and take them home after their appointment
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Need to know

Not all practices offer all types of sedation

Patients are monitored from the time of administration to the time of discharge.

Appointments

  • 1 single appointment

How long it takes

  • Oral sedation can take up to 1 hour to begin working
  • Inhalation sedation usually takes a few minutes to start working
  • IV sedation usually takes a few minutes or less to start working

You may be asked about

  • Your dental history and medical history
  • Medications you are currently taking

Before your appointment

  • You will be given specific instructions to follow depending upon the type of sedation. It is important that these instructions are followed for your safety

After your appointment

  • Inhalation sedation will usually wear off quickly with minimal after effects
  • With oral or IV sedation you will likely feel a bit drowsy after your appointment, but you will usually have little memory of the treatment
  • For oral or IV sedation you will need to have someone take you home after the appointment
  • You will not be able to drive or operate machinery for at least 12 hours after oral or IV sedation

Quick tip

Some dentists offer sedation for nervous or anxious patients. If you are feeling nervous about having dental treatment, speak to your dentist about the sedation options available to you.

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Have questions?

The cost will vary depending on the type of sedation used. Some sedation methods aren’t available at all practices so you will need to check with your dentist or oral surgeon before the procedure. At the consultation they will recommend the best option for you and also give you an indication of the cost.

You can relax! There’s no need to worry about feeling pain as local anaesthetic is used in conjunction with the sedation. The reason for being sedated during dental treatment is to help you relax and reduce anxiety.  With most types of sedation, you will have little memory of the procedure.

Sedation is safe when given by experienced dentists and complications are rare. However, as with any medical procedure patients with some existing medical conditions add a risk of complications. Your dentist will carefully review your medical history with you to make sure it is safe for you to be sedated. You should also talk to your dentist about any concerns you may have before being sedated.

It is not uncommon to experience some side effects with sedation until it wears off completely. With most sedation types you will usually feel relaxed but then drowsy afterward. You will often have little memory of the procedure, you may feel sluggish or be less coordinated and have slower reflexes. People sometimes have low blood pressure after being sedated and occasionally feel a bit sick or have a slight headache. These side effects usually wear off in a few hours.

You should rest after a sedation appointment and not return to work, drive a vehicle, or operate machinery. If you have concerns with any of the side effects of sedation we suggest talking to your dentist.

Sedation involves using a sedative agent to place you into a calm, restful state. You will remain conscious while sedated and able to respond to voice prompts. Many patients have no recollection of their treatment once the sedative agent has worn off completely.