Sedation is a great technique, which allows us to treat the most nervous of patients. Thanks to sedation, our phobic patients manage to go through dental treatment and have all types of treatment carried out. They are amazed by how easy and relaxing it is.
IV Sedation: What is it?
Sedation in dentistry comes in a variety of forms; however, we prefer to use IV (Intravenous) sedation, mainly because of its quick relaxing effect. In IV sedation, we administer a drug, usually of the anti-anxiety family in the body through the blood system, during a treatment. At the Dental Suite in Loughborough, Leicester and Nottingham, we use IV sedation, when a patient enters a more stress-free state of mind but keeps his or her senses. With our patients conscious throughout the duration of their treatment, unless specified. Otherwise, the procedure is made easier and quicker for both the dentist and the patient. Why? Because the patient can communicate with the dentist since he or she can understand and respond to his or her dentist’s requests.
Therefore, if you are under IV sedation, you are conscious; yet, feeling peaceful inside and stress-free. At this point, bear in mind that you may not have much to remember from your procedure, mainly because IV sedation puts you into a state where you don’t bother much by what is going on, and because the drugs used for IV sedation produce amnesia (full or partial memory loss), starting from the time the drug enters your system to the time it wears off. This is a good thing though, as it allows you to feel that time passes very quickly, which keeps you calm and relaxed. Also, you will not be able to recall much of the procedure you had undergone, which is excellent, especially for patients with dental phobias. As a result, patients may, indeed, feel as if they had been asleep during their procedure.
When do we need Sedation?
We see patients who want sedation for the simplest and shortest of treatments, like a scale and polish with our hygienist or even a simple filling with the dentist. This means they are in a relaxed and sleepy state, but are still conscious and can respond to demands as their reflexes are still working. We also have patients who are not that nervous but may want to be sedated for longer or more complex treatment such as multiple implants to allow them to be more relaxed during the procedure. As already mentioned, after the treatment is complete you won’t remember much of your dental visit and your escort will take you home and you will continue to feel relaxed for the rest of the day!
When it comes to IV sedation, you have nothing to be anxious about, especially when you have the experience of multi-awarded and phobia certified dentists. At he Dental Suite in Loughborough, Leicester and Nottingham, our dentists are highly skilled and knowledgeable about anything dentistry-related, from cosmetic to traditional dental treatments and anything in between!
Contact us NOW to book your first FREE consultation (includes a 30-minute appointment with the dentists, assessment of your teeth, gums and bone levels, and cancer screening, among others).
