A Guide to the Use of Sedation With Nervous Patients

Sedation dentistry is a method used by our dentists to perform dental treatment for those whom are scared of the dentist. It’s a way for us to help you overcome common dental phobias that you may have. Are you neglecting going to the dentist because of this phobia? Often, dental problems are left unattended until the very last moment when extreme treatment measures are needed. Through sedation, you will be able to undergo treatments without any of the fear and anxiety that accompanies the dental treatment. Plus, sedation dentistry reduces the number of visits required to just one or two sessions. Sedation dentistry can be used for most dental treatments.

Sedation is a procedure that makes use of sedative medications, to make visiting the dentist a more relaxed experience, enabling the dentists to perform normal dental procedures. The sedative drug midazolam is administered intravenously to relax the patient and to obtain memory loss for the duration of the procedure. See more information on intravenous sedation.

The medications you receive will not put you to sleep, although you are likely to feel sleepy while under sedation. Sedation dentistry is different from general anaesthesia, which leads to a deeper state of sleep.

If you are in need of dental treatment, either for health or cosmetic purposes, but have a fear of the dentist, or have an extreme fear of needles, it is likely that you will benefit from sedation dentistry.

Intravenous Sedation is a very safe technique which makes dental treatment possible for most patients. If you suffer from one of the following conditions, IV sedation might be the perfect solution for your dental needs.
 

IV sedation is also used for:
 

All patients will have a consultation prior to treatment to review any relevant medical history, and to explain the procedure as well as treatment needed.
 
We only do sedation on adults and children over twelve years of age.

Please refer to our Intravenous Conscious Sedation Policy for further details.

Dr Gerrit Snyman is a Dental Phobia Certified dentist Click Here to verify.