Dental Sedation

What is intravenous sedation?

Intravenous sedation invoices the injection of a sedative into a patient’s arm or hand to relax them during treatment.

What are the benefits of sedation?

Sedation can help patients to cope with stress and anxeity during treatments.

Even for patients that are not particularly anxious may elect to undergo such treatments as extractions, implant placement and bone grafting under sedation.

What are the risks?

Intravenous sedation can slow down a patient’s breathing. This requires close monitoring and may also involve providing oxygen through a mask as appropriate.

Patients may also experience slight bruising from the injection, but this should not last more than a few days.

Risks will be discussed in more detail during the consent stage.

Preparation and aftercare

It is advised that a patient undergoing sedation arranges beforehand for an adult to accompany them home after the procedure and to remain with them for the evening.

After the procedure, the patient should remain within the surgery until the sedationist is satisfied that it is safe for them to leave.

Under no circumstances should a patient drive themselves home after undergoing intravenous sedation.