Conscious sedation/ Twilight sedation/ IV Sedation/ Sleep dentistry

There are many names for the same procedure.

 

Conscious sedation is a mild form of sedation compared to General Anaesthetic (GA).  GA is where a patient is fully unconscious and breathing with a ventilator in a hospital setting. During IV sedation a patient maintains their own airway, is conscious and still aware of their surroundings. IV sedation is commonly used in dentistry because it can be safely administered in a dental clinic setting and dental procedures usually do not take long periods of time.

 

Most dental work is done under local anaesthetic (the LA solution needle in the mouth). When done carefully and slowly, the needle can be quite painless. However if we are planning to do a surgical procedure, longer procedure or a procedure which makes patients feel anxious, we can offer conscious sedation to fit and healthy patients.

 

The process involves:

1. Placing a cannula into the patient’s arm or hand

2. Attaching monitoring equipment to track patient’s blood pressure, oxygen saturation and heart activity

3. Administering anti-anxiety and pain medications through the cannula  

4. Administering local anaesthetic in the mouth

5. The dental treatment

6. Post treatment recovery and discharge

 

During sedation the patient should feel:

• Calm

• Relaxed

• Possibly drowsy

• Probably some amnesia (where the patient forgets part or most of what happened during the dental appointment)

 

During sedation the patient is:

• Still aware of their surroundings

• Aware that they are undergoing dental treatment

• Conscious and breathing on their own

• Able to communicate with the dentist

 

 

 

Instructions before sedation

 

• Eat well and drink lots of water in the 3 days leading up to your sedation appointment

• Stop eating and drinking 6 hours before your sedation appointment.

  • (Note: You can drink plain water up to 3 hours before your sedation appointment.)

• You must have an empty stomach whilst being sedated, i.e. no food for 6 hours prior and no water for 3 hours prior to the sedation

• Wear loose, comfortable and warm clothes.

• The effects of sedation wear off quickly, patients are discharged about 1 hour after the end of the dental treatment.

• You are not allowed to drive or operate machinery for 24 hours after the procedure.

• Bring a responsible adult to accompany you to the appointment.