IV Sedation at Green Valley Dental

October 26, 2017

At Green Valley Dental, we offer IV Sedation for anxious patients. If you have a fear of dentists or of dental treatment, sedation could be suitable for you. It enables dental treatment to be carried out at your local dental clinic whilst you are relaxed and makes your visit much more pleasant. It is commonly used on patients who have a fear or phobia of dental treatment.

Do you dread the thought of having your teeth cleaned? Would you rather endure a toothache than step foot in a dentist's office? You're not alone. A lot of people are so apprehensive about going to the dentist that they prefer not to have any treatment, even in an emergency.

Sedation dentistry can take away some of your anxiety. Sedation can be used for everything from invasive procedures - such as fillings, cavities or implants - to a simple tooth cleaning.

Recommended Related to Oral Health

What Is Sedation Dentistry?

Sedation dentistry uses medication to help patients relax during dental procedures. You will feel sleepy and relaxed. You also won’t remember much of your treatment and it will seem to go by very quickly.

The levels of sedation used include:

Minimal sedation -- you are awake but relaxed.
Moderate sedation (formerly called "conscious sedation") -you may slur your words when speaking and not remember much of the procedure.
Deep sedation -- you are on the edge of consciousness but can still be woken up.
General anesthesia -- you are completely unconscious.

What types of sedation are used in dentistry?

The following types of sedation are used in dentistry:

Inhaled minimal sedation. You breathe nitrous oxide - otherwise known as "laughing gas" - combined with oxygen through a mask that's placed over your nose. The gas helps you relax. Your dentist can control the amount of sedation you receive, and the gas tends to wear off quickly.
Oral sedation. Depending on the total dose given, oral sedation can range from minimal to moderate. For minimal sedation, you take a pill. Typically, the pill is Halcion, which is a member of the same drug family as Valium, and it's usually taken about an hour before the procedure. The pill will make you drowsy, although you'll still be awake. A larger dose may be given to produce moderate sedation. You will become groggy or may fall asleep during the procedure.
IV moderate sedation. You receive the sedative drug through a vein, so it goes to work more quickly. This method allows the specialist doctor attending you to continually adjust the level of sedation, while your dentist attends to your dental work!
Deep sedation and general anesthesia. You will get medications that will make you either almost unconscious or totally unconscious -- deeply asleep -- during the procedure. While you are under general anesthesia, you cannot easily be awakened until the effects of the anesthesia wear off or are reversed with medication. This is only done at the hospital for severe cases.

Regardless of which type of sedation you receive, you'll also typically need a local anesthetic numbing medication at the site where the dentist is working in the mouth - to relieve pain if the procedure causes any discomfort.

It's important to have a friend or family member to come with you for the procedure, drive you home and stay with you for at least a couple of hours at home afterwards.

Get in touch with Green Valley Dental on 02 9825 0092 to book a free consultation or find out more about Sedation Dentistry!