Intravenous sedation is a mild dose of general anaesthetic where patients are sedated but conscious and breathing on their own. The patient is in a twilight state where they are relaxed and “sleepy” but able to follow simple directions given by the dentist and is responsive. The procedure is performed under medical supervision by our specialist anaesthetist.
During IV sedation, a sedative medication is delivered through an intravenous line directly into your bloodstream and the dosage level will be adjusted during the procedure.
IV sedation is ONLY suitable for small cases such as minor extractions, fillings and general dentistry.
BENEFITS OF SEDATION DENTISTRY
Sedation dentistry offers numerous benefits, including:
- Anxiety Reduction: It helps anxious patients feel more relaxed, making dental visits less stressful.
- Pain Management: Can effectively control pain, ensuring a comfortable and pain-free experience.
- Time Efficiency: Our patients can often sit through longer or multiple treatments in a single visit. This reduces the need for multiple appointments
- Minimised Gag Reflex: Sedation helps to reduce the gag reflex, making it easier for our dentists to work on specific areas of your mouth.
- Enhanced Comfort: Patients experience a more comfortable and less stressful dental experience.
- Improves Oral Health: Sleep dentistry makes dental care stress-free for even the most anxious of our patients. This leads to improved oral health because you don’t have to delay seeking treatment because of your dental fear anymore.
Along with these benefits, there are, however, some short-term risks of sleep dentistry. These include side effects such as drowsiness, nausea, headaches and dry mouth, which will go away after a couple of days.
Am I a candidate for sleep dentistry?
Sleep dentistry is typically recommended for individuals who experience anxiety or fear related to dental procedures. It is also used for patients who have a low pain threshold, a strong gag reflex or a need for lengthy dental treatments.
Candidates might also include individuals with a history of traumatic dental experiences and medical conditions that make sitting for prolonged periods of time challenging. Children and adults who require extensive and complex dental procedures such as wisdom teeth removal or dental implants, also qualify for sleep dentistry.
At Port Melbourne Dental, your comfort is our priority. Depending on the treatment needed, your preferences and your unique case needs, we will assess if sleep dentistry is required and which type of sleep dentistry would be best suited for you to have a stress-free dental experience.
Get in touch with our team today to discuss eligibility and other factors.
Is Sleep Dentistry Safe For Everyone?
Sleep dentistry is performed by our highly trained and experienced dental professionals ensuring your safety, comfort and well-being throughout the treatment. We carefully evaluate several factors such as your medical history and case to determine the most suitable sedation method. It’s essential to have an open and honest conversation with our dentists about any concerns you may have.
