Will I be completely asleep?

It depends on the level chosen. Light sedation leaves you awake and able to respond, simply relaxed; a general anaesthetic is a different thing and belongs in a different setting. The level is decided at the consultation, from the procedure and your history.

Will I remember the appointment?

Depending on the method and the depth, recall can be partial. That is often what very anxious patients are after, and it is discussed beforehand rather than discovered afterwards.

Do I need somebody with me?

For anything beyond very light sedation, yes: you do not drive afterwards, and somebody is expected to take you home. The exact instruction is given before the appointment.

Sedation Dentistry

A treatment room at Estoria clinic, with the chair and the operating lamp

Who it is for

Fear of the dentist is reason enough.

Sedation is for patients whose anxiety stops them being treated, for those whose gag reflex makes an impression difficult, and for long procedures where staying still becomes hard.

It is not reserved for extreme cases. Somebody who has been putting off an appointment for years because the last one went badly is exactly who it exists for, and that is worth saying when booking rather than in the chair.

Two clinicians in surgical gowns, masks and scrub caps during a procedure

Sedation and anaesthetic are not the same thing

One removes the anxiety, the other removes the pain.

Local anaesthetic numbs the tooth: it is what makes treatment painless, and it is used in nearly every procedure. Sedation acts on alertness and anxiety; it does not replace anaesthetic and is used alongside it.

Confusing the two leads to a common disappointment: sedation alone on an unanaesthetised tooth would not be enough, and a perfect anaesthetic does nothing for somebody terrified by the sound of the drill.

A dental surgeon in a treatment room at the clinic, arms folded

What is settled beforehand

History, current medication, and who takes you home.

The consultation before sedation covers your medical history, current medication and allergies — those decide what level is possible, and sometimes that it is better done without.

Depending on the method, you may be asked to come fasting and to be accompanied home: you do not drive afterwards. Those instructions are given before the appointment, not on the day, because a patient who discovers them on arrival goes home untreated.

Sedation — Frequently Asked Questions

Will I be completely asleep?: It depends on the level chosen. Light sedation leaves you awake and able to respond, simply relaxed; a general anaesthetic is a different thing and belongs in a different setting. The level is decided at the consultation, from the procedure and your history.
Will I remember the appointment?: Depending on the method and the depth, recall can be partial. That is often what very anxious patients are after, and it is discussed beforehand rather than discovered afterwards.
Do I need somebody with me?: For anything beyond very light sedation, yes: you do not drive afterwards, and somebody is expected to take you home. The exact instruction is given before the appointment.