It is not uncommon to experience anxiety before a dentist appointment. Often the fear of dental procedures can prohibit you from even the most basic dental care. Your dental fear may have been caused from a childhood procedure or even developed when you started getting dental pain. Sedation dentistry helps fearful patients relax during dental procedures so that they don’t compromise their oral health.
At Burnside Dental and Implant Centre in Adelaide, we are understanding and here to help to ensure a more comfortable experience. If you suffer from dental anxiety we don’t want you to be embarrassed as this is more common than you think. Please let us know when you book your appointment or when you arrive at the practice. We’ll help you to feel as comfortable as possible throughout the process.
Intravenous sedation (IV sedation) or twilight sedation as it is often referred to as, is the use of pharmacological agents which are administered intravenously by an anaesthetist to calm and relax patients and place in a sleep like state. This is an effective method for managing moderate to severe dental anxiety and is also an ideal option for patients needing extensive dental treatment such as extractions, dental implants, grafting, sinus lifts as well as other surgical procedures. However, any dental procedure can be performed under IV Sedation.
Procedures take place at Burnside Day Surgery a fully accredited day hospital which is located in the adjoining suite to Burnside Dental Practice.
Prior to your procedure, you will be asked to fast for 6 hours, for food, and 2 hours for water.
The IV sedation is performed by one of our visiting specialist anaesthetists, who will speak to you prior to your procedure, and will happily answer any questions or concerns that you have. A medical history form is completed at the time of booking, and will be forwarded to our visiting anesthetist prior to your
procedure.
Once admitted an intravenous line is set-up and the sedative and any pain relieving drugs are administered via this IV line. You will feel instant relaxation within a few minutes. IV sedation is a much ‘lighter sleep’ than a full general anaesthetic you will still be able to hear and respond to the dentist or anaesthetist but you will feel as if you are falling in a ‘light sleep’.
Following your procedure, you will be moved to recovery with our registered nurse, where you will be monitored until you feel comfortable and alert. You will be given post-op instructions to take home with you.
It is important that you have a responsible adult with you who can take you home and remain with you for at least 24 hours after the procedure. During this time, you must not drive or operate machinery. We are unable to allow you to leave on your own in a taxi/uber following your procedure, and we will not go ahead with the procedure if this is the case. There are sometimes exclusions to IV sedation treatment, and if IV sedation is not suitable for you then we can suggest alternative options to help you get the dental care you need.
At Burnside Dental and Implant Centre, we believe that quality treatment should be easily accessible for you and your family. For your convenience, we accept all major health funds to ensure your smile transformation journey can begin immediately.
A range of finance options and payment method plans are also made available for our general dentistry, cosmetic dentistry and implant services so you can smile now and pay as you like.
Nitrous oxide is a common method of sedation. With this method of sedation, you are relaxed within minutes. When the Nitrous Oxide is stopped you complete your method of sedation with Oxygen and your return to normal within minutes. For patients who are anxious regarding local anaesthetic as well background noise of dental equipment this is an ideal option.
Oral sedation is an option to help relieve anxiety so you are comfortable. Most often this is taken about 1 hour prior to your procedure. The result is a relaxed and calm mood which will allow the dentist to effectively do what they are supposed to do.
Oral sedation relaxes patients, but can also make you feel drowsy. It is important that someone brings you alone to your dental appointment in Adelaide, so you can safely make it there and back.
We acknowledge the enduring connection of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to this land and express our deep gratitude for their custodianship, wisdom, and cultural richness.
We stand in solidarity and respect, committed to learning from their heritage and fostering a future of equality and reconciliation.
