Sedation for nervous patients

 

What is sedation?

Dental Sedation is usually provided via your vein, otherwise known as intravenous (or IV), but it can also be given per your mouth, nose or through a mask.

At The Bristol Dental Practice we usually offer IV, but as every patient is individual, therefore depending on the patient we can also offer intranasal and/or oral sedation (where suitable).

 

What are these 3 types of sedation?

Intra-Venous sedation (IV)

This is where a canula is placed into a vein and a liquid sedative (known as Midazolam) is administered into your blood stream to help relax you and leave you feeling drowsy, it is also an anxiolytic which will help to reduce anxiety and a muscle relaxant.

You are conscious when you have this procedure although you are not aware of your surroundings and will not feel anything. It is like the feeling of being hypnotised, this is always carried out safely by our in-house sedationist Dr Rob Endicott who will be with you from the start to end of your entire treatment. He will be able to talk to you and you will still be able to respond when needed. When you have had this treatment completed it is very likely that you will not remember a thing!

 

Intranasal and Oral Sedation

This is where the liquid (midazolam) solution is either applied via your nose (inhaled) or mixed with a sweet drink (Ribena) and drunk, although sometimes you may still require a canula placed in case of emergency. For those patients who are needle phobic, this can be a very nice way to receive your recommended dental treatment under the aid of sedation, but without having to worry about those pesky needles!

 

Why and who would choose to have sedation?

Being told you might need to have a tooth taken out or maybe even a small filling can leave us feeling anxious and nervous and some people may even be needle phobic so the thought alone of having these treatments is enough to make you put it off, which in the long run can lead to further problems such as tooth loss, therefore we offer sedation to our patients to help them receive treatment.

You might think that you only qualify for sedation if it is for a complex case, but this is not true, we can offer sedation for all different types of treatment as we look to help our patients on their dental journey through treatment.

If you do have any medical conditions you must notify your dentist as it may not be possible to have sedation.

 

What are the benefits of having sedation?

• It helps to relax you and your muscles
• It avoids you having to have a general anesthetic that cannot be used for some medical conditions and avoid those unwanted side effects which come along with it
• It does not take long to perform or start to work so you do not need to be worried about feeling more nervous or clock watching
• Helps to reduce anxiety levels
• It allows your treatment to be carried out safely and with ease

 

Are there any side effects?

It is rare to feel nauseous, but this can be a possible side effect and is well managed by our expert team of dental nurses

Your blood pressure may drop, but this is nothing to be alarmed about and Dr Rob Endicott will be there to assist you if this did happen

After your treatment has been completed you may still feel slightly drowsy and light on your feet, however this will pass within a couple of hours

 

You have booked sedation and are wondering what you can and cannot do before and after treatment?

Do not worry about this, before you come in for sedation you would have already had your sedation consultation and they will cover both pre- and post-treatment advice.

 

Can I come on my own for sedation?

The answer to this is no, you will require a chaperone to be there for when you have completed your treatment, just leave their number with one of our reception team members and they can give them a call in advance to be there for you for when your treatment is completed.

 

Can I book in straight away for sedation?

Before we book you in for sedation there are just two steps we need you to make. We always book you in first for a sedation consultation with one of our dentists in Bristol where we can meet you in person before any treatment is carried out. We will be able to explain your required dental procedure in full detail so you know what to expect as well as provide you with some more information about the sedation experience. You will be provided with all necessary x-rays and an itemised, printed treatment plan. We will then book you in with our treatment coordinator who can then answer any non-clinical questions you may have. If you would like to proceed to treatment, our treatment coordinator can also arrange your appointments for you. 

The second stage would be the signing of our consent forms for treatment and our medical form detailing your health and wellness including any medications you may be taking, or drugs you may be allergic to. Most of these forms can be provided online, or you can request printed copies to fill in. We ask that you bring your completed forms along with you on the day of your treatment.

 

If there is anything, we did not cover in this blog and you are still wondering about anything, or if you would like to seek some further advice with one of our friendly team then why not give us a call on 0117 910 59 29 or alternatively if you prefer, you can always send us an email via our website.

Thank you, we look forward to seeing you soon!