Adelaide sleep dentistry
Iv sedation
are you nervous about having dental treatment, have a strong gag reflex? Or require complex or surgical dental treatment? Sleep dentistry may be the answer to helping you keep your teeth in great shape!
Many people have instilled in them a fear of the dentist, whether it is due to a bad experience, association with injections, it can be so powerful that it prevents them from seeking dental care, resulting in neglect, painful, broken teeth, and gum disease, increasing the amount of bacteria present which in turn spreads beyond the mouth, affecting other organs such as the heart.
These fears can be easily overcome by undergoing such procedures while under IV sedation, otherwise known as sleep dentistry. IV sedation is a very efficient, safe and effective way of providing intensive relief of anxiety and pain control.
While under IV sedation, you may experience a deep relaxation, while many other people experience total or partial memory loss for the period of time from when the drug starts to work until it wears off. Many patients do report an experience very similar to general anaesthesia, during sleep dentistry or IV sedation you do remain conscious, but will have limited verbal response & request.
IV sedation is performed here in our surgery, by a dentist specially trained in IV sedation. Throughout the procedure, your breathing, heartrate, blood pressure and the amount of oxygen in your blood are closely monitored to ensure the procedure is carried out safely and effectively.
After the sleep dentistry procedures are completed, you will be cared for in our recovery area, until you feel comfortable enough to be accompanied home by a responsible adult who can drive you home and stay with you for 24 hours.
We also offer inhalation sedation using Nitrous Oxide or Penthrox (green whistle)
Inhalation sedation
- Nitrous Oxide, also known as ‘Happy gas’, is a light form of sedation. It is a mixture of nitrous oxide and oxygen breathed through a nosepiece. This helps you to feel relaxed and happy. You will remain conscious throughout the procedure however, you may feel the following sensations, relaxed, floating, slightly drowsy but not asleep, slightly warm, tingling in the feet or hands.
Inhalation sedation is a safe and effective way to alleviate mild to moderate dental anxiety. Inhalation sedation only takes a few minutes to become effective and also a few minutes to recover from at the end of the procedure.
You will need to have somebody drive you home if you have had happy gas. - Penthrox, also known as the ‘green whistle’, often seen on the football field, is an inhaler used to reduce feelings of anxiety and pain. You will remain conscious throughout the procedure, you may feel floaty and at ease. Penthrox is self administered in the dental chair, and starts to work after 6-8 breaths. It is fast, effective and completely safe to use, recovery is quick too, however, you will need to have somebody drive you home if you have had penthrox.