IV sedation is one of the most powerful ways to overcome dental anxiety and phobia. It involves inserting a powerful sedative medicine directly into your bloodstream, often with a cannula. It’s commonly referred to as conscious sedation within dental practice.
While under IV sedation, you will feel extremely sleepy, as if drifting off to sleep, but you will still be conscious enough to breathe uninhibited, without the support of specialists, anaesthetists, or machines.
IV sedation has several significant benefits for patients
– It is extremely fast acting, so you can feel sedated very quickly within an appointment.
– It is very safe, as your dosage can be easily monitored, tailored, and adjusted or increased as the treatment progresses.
– Some people report experiencing an amnesia effect. Although this is not the case for everyone and may diminish with multiple appointments.
Who can undertake IV Sedation?
IV sedation is right for adults with high levels of dental anxiety or phobia who cannot undergo dental treatment without some form of sedation.
It is typically not recommended for children under 12 due to a higher risk profile. It may not also be appropriate for patients with a higher BMI, due to respiratory inhibition.
IV sedation can also be very effective in overcoming the gag reflex or other medical conditions that might hinder dental access during treatment.
FAQ
Will I still feel pain?
Sedative medicine doesn’t necessarily have any pain relief effects and your dentist should still be providing local anaesthetic. There can be multiple forms of local anaesthetic provided to ensure treatment is pain free
Are there any side effects?
There can be a range of potential side effects, with the most common being nausea or vomiting. IV sedation can make you feel very drowsy, and you might experience headaches. Your sedationist will be able to advise you of a range of other contraindications ahead of any appointment.
How will I feel?
The best way of describing how IV sedation feels is as though you’re drifting off to sleep, that second just before you fall asleep where you don’t have stress or anxiety. Your mind is quite unencumbered.
What happens after the procedure?
If you’re getting IV sedation, you’ll need to involve a chaperone to take you back to a safe place, such as your home. You won’t be able to operate machinery or a car for at least 24 hours.
Can I work afterwards?
After a period of rest, you are typically able to work the next day, depending on the dental treatment that you have.
