Information On Sedation

What is Conscious Sedation?

It is a technique that relaxes you and to reduce your anxiety.  You are conscious but will be unaware of what is going on around you and fell sleepy.  This is not like General Anaesthesia where a machine breathes for you, hence it is a very safe yet effective method used throughout dental surgeries worldwide.

The sedative medication calms you down and produces an amnesic effect so you will not remember much after the treatment.  Treatment time depends on what you are having done.

Before Treatment:

• Ensure you have something light to eat, you DON’T need to starve yourself, but DO NOT eat fatty foods;
• Keep well hydrated by drinking water as normal;
• Ensure to bring a responsible adult with you to escort you and take you home by car (Unfortunately, without a responsible adult as a chaperone, we will NOT be able to sedate you);
• Take your routine medications as prescribed by your doctor at the routine times unless otherwise stated;
• DO NOT drink alcohol 48 hours before your sedation appointment;
• Wear loose comfortable clothes to your sedation appointment;
• DO NO wear make up / contact lenses or nail varnish and leave all jewellery and watches at home.

What will happen when I have sedation? – During Treatment:

• We will check your blood pressure, heart rate, and oxygen content of your blood using a small monitor onto your thumb. This is to ensure precise monitoring of your health throughout the sedation.
• The device will then be placed into your arm to administer the drug, you will then slowly begin to feel more relaxed and sleepy. Some patients describe this as like having had a few glasses of their favourite wine or beer, or the groggy feeling when you first wake. Once your dentist is satisfied that you are adequately sedated, the dental procedure will begin.

After Treatment:

• Most people feel a little sleepy for a few hours following the procedure. You will therefore need an escort who can take you home and to look after you for the next 24 hours.
• You may experience some memory loss that can last for several hours and, this will mean that you probably won’t remember the dental work being carried out. We therefore advise that, for 24 hours after treatment:
  • You DO NOT drive;
  • You DO NOT operate machinery INCLUDING domestic appliances e.g. kettle, oven etc
  • DO NOT make any important decisions e.g. sign legal documents
  • DO NOT drink alcohol

Are there any dangers associated with IV sedation?

This is a very safe procedure. The main risk is that you may become so relaxed that you don’t breathe effectively, as a result your blood-oxygen level is constantly monitored so that we can prompt you to simply take a deep breath. In the unlikely event that you ignore our requests to breathe and your blood-oxygen level continues to drop, we administer a reversal drug which immediately brings you out of the sedation.

As with any dental or medical procedure, if you have any fears which are not allayed by asking further questions, then you should not go ahead with it.

Are there any other types of sedation available instead of IV Midazolam?

There are some other forms of sedation which are

• Oral sedation with a tablet
• Nitrous Oxide (laughing gas)

Neither of these types of sedation is suitable for the more invasive dental procedures, and as such is not offered here.

If you still have any questions about having IV sedation then please ask us. It is vitally important that you understand everything that will happen and have no doubts beforehand.