If you are someone who is nervous about seeing a dentist, you will probably recognise the anxiety and often fear that arises when you know perfectly well that you need to have treatment. Sometimes there is no delaying it any longer and doing so would be detrimental anyway. Even with this knowledge, your stress levels rise the closer your appointment gets.<\/p>\n
It might be the sound of the drill or a bad experience years ago that you haven’t quite shaken off. Or perhaps the proximity of the dentists to your face is the thing that really triggers what can feel like a panic attack. If any of that sounds familiar, you are not alone and you don’t have to feel embarrassed about it. For people who find dental treatment especially difficult, intravenous sedation, also sometimes called IV sedation, offers an effective way of receiving the care you need with significantly less anxiety.<\/p>\n
It is important to note that IV sedation<\/a> isn’t usually the same as being put to sleep. A sedative is given through a small tube which is inserted into a vein, usually in your hand or arm. This helps you to feel deeply relaxed and drowsy, although you will generally remain conscious and able to speak to your dentist should they need to ask you anything.<\/p>\n Patients often feel pleasantly detached from what is happening, with some people remembering very little about their treatment afterwards whereas others might remember certain parts of it. You may not have a complete blank in your memory but this varies from patient to patient. You will also receive a local anaesthetic and your dentist will still normally numb the area being treated. The anaesthetic deals with pain; the sedation helps you cope with the actual treatment.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n It is next to impossible to measure anxiety levels as these can be triggered by various things and can manifest in a number of different ways. Some patients manage routine check-ups but become very distressed at the thought of an extraction or lengthy procedure. Some might struggle even to get through the door. A previous painful experience can leave its mark, while some people find the loss of control particularly anxiety inducing.<\/p>\n Sedation can be used for other reasons than anxiety too. Longer treatments such as dental implant placements can be made much easier with the help of IV should you require it. A conversation with our Canterbury dentist is a good starting point. You can explain what worries you, and they can discuss what might help and whether IV sedation would be a good solution for you.<\/p>\n Prior to your treatment at the Bradley and Partners Dental & Implant Clinic , you will have an assessment to check that sedation is suitable for you. Your dentist or sedation team will ask about your general health, medical conditions and any medication that you might currently be taking. Please be open and honest about these details, even if you think something is minor. You will also be given instructions about preparing for your appointment, including whether you need to avoid food or drink for a specified period. When it is time for your treatment, a small cannula will be placed into a vein for the sedative to be administered. The team will monitor you throughout, including your breathing and oxygen levels, and will adjust the medication according to your response.<\/p>\n Once you are fully relaxed, your dentist can carry out the planned treatment using local anaesthetic as needed.\u00a0 Afterwards, you will remain under observation for a short while until you are sufficiently recovered to leave. You will need to bring a responsible adult with you to get home safely. Under no circumstances should you drive or operate machinery etc. It is best to arrange to take the rest of the day off at least.<\/p>\n IV sedation is a well established option when provided by appropriately trained professionals, with the right assessment and monitoring. With any medical treatment though, there are always some elements of risk. Any potential risk factors will be discussed when discussing your general health etc. By and large though it is a perfectly safe option for the vast majority of our Canterbury dental patients<\/a>.<\/p>\n It is possible that you might even feel anxious about sedation itself. You might worry about the cannula, whether you’ll feel in control, or how you will feel afterwards. There is no need to pretend otherwise. Talk to the team about what concerns you. They will be able to explain the process and help you understand what will happen at each stage. We don\u2019t expect you to arrive feeling completely calm, and asking questions does most definitely not make you a difficult patient.<\/p>\n If you have a dental issue that requires treatment and it causes you a great deal of anxiety, please do discuss it with us and, between us, we can decide if IV sedation would be a good option for you or not. If you would like to talk to us about this, please call the Bradley and Partners Dental & Implant Clinic on 01227 463529<\/strong>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" IV sedation is a great way to have treatment carried out if you suffer from dental …<\/p>\nIs IV sedation in Canterbury right for you?<\/h3>\n
What happens on the day?<\/h3>\n
How safe is?<\/h3>\n
Nervous about IV?<\/h3>\n