Why might you benefit from sedation?

Being anxious about dental treatment is extremely common – about 1 in 10 people in the UK have varying degrees of dental phobia. This can often lead to delaying treatment or avoiding the dentist completely, which usually only results in further problems developing over time that require more complicated treatment.

What does sedation involve?

Intravenous sedation involves the use of a drug given to you through a thin plastic tube placed in your arm or back of your hand via a very thin needle. The drug will make you very relaxed and sleepy, to the point that even though you are still conscious, you are not really aware of anything else and treatment can be completed comfortably.

Most people do not remember anything from the whole appointment. There is no need to be referred to the hospital and you can be treated in the comfort of the practice and discharged back home the same day.

Is sedation available even if you don’t have a phobia?

Even if you are not generally a nervous patient, in some situations that require more complex work such as the extraction of wisdom teeth or lengthy root canal treatment, sedation can greatly increase the comfort of the whole experience.

What next?

You will usually need a short assessment prior to your sedation appointment. The dentist will only ask you some questions at this point and you will have a chance to discuss any concerns or questions in more detail.