IV Sedation

What is Intravenous Sedation?

Intravenous sedation in dentistry is a modern technique of sedation that takes the fear out of dentistry and makes dental treatment a more pleasant experience. It also enables more dentistry to be done per session, thus saving the patient’s time.

Who can have IV Sedation?

Dental sedation is suitable for most people. However, if you are taking any medication or tablets, or you are not in good health, you should tell your dentist so that the sedation may be modified to suit your needs. Prior to treatment, you will be asked to fill in a medical history form. Please do this thoroughly and if you do not understand any question, please discuss it with the dentist.

How will sedation help me?

During sedation, you become relaxed and drowsy and the dental treatment can be carried out painlessly. Intravenous sedation is available for any dental procedure. However, your dentist may recommend sedation in certain circumstances, e.g. extensive dental treatment, difficult procedures or for anxious patients.

How is it done?

The technique involves the injection of small amounts of sedative into a vein in the arm. The injection is painless and the sedative soon takes effect. Local anaesthetic injections are often necessary, but these will not cause you any discomfort. Due to amnesia (forgetfulness) produced by these sedative agents, it seems that you have been asleep for most of the treatment. However, you have merely been sedated and not unconscious in the way you would be under general anaesthesia. On completion of the treatment, you rest for a short while before being escorted home. While you may feel quite alert after the treatment, the sedative agents are not completely eliminated from the body for some hours afterwards – thus the need for an escort home. Your dentist will provide you with detailed instructions before and after. Please pay full attention to these instructions. Intravenous sedation is a very pleasant way of enabling dental treatment to be carried out. Your dentist will be pleased to explain it further to you.