IV sedation
Do you have a fear or phobia of dental procedures, that has stopped you from getting your dental care?
We are proud to offer this service for our patients. Although we offer happy gas for our patients at Murrumba Downs Family Dental, sometimes patients want to be ‘put under’. For this option, if we want to avoid a full hospital visit and general anaesthetic, we now offer in-house IV sedation with a GP Anaesthetist at our sister clinic at Chermside Dental Care in Brisbane’s North.
Our IV sedation services are administered by a GP anaesthetist with full hospital equipment for your safety and comfort. We are able to perform any general dental procedure while under, including cleans, fillings, crowns, root canals, complex wisdom teeth removal and dental implants.
Should I choose IV sedation?
Some patients have had bad experiences in the past, and have a phobia of the dentist. Our GP Anaesthetist is here to help provide all of our Brisbane patients with an IV sedation option with any dental procedure. If you feel particularly anxious about dentistry in general, or about a particular procedure such as wisdom teeth removal, then this may be a great option for you.
During sedation you will be unaware of your surroundings and with a very hazy memory of the procedure afterwards. Conscious IV sedation is all done in-house as a day procedure, without the risks, costs and time involved with having a general anaesthetic.
Patients that are suitable for IV sedation include those who:
- are anxious or have a fear/phobia of dental proceudres
- have had bad experiences in the past
- require complex dental treatments
- have difficulty getting numb with local anaesthetic
- have a strong gag reflex
- have a needle phobia
How does it work?
IV sedation for dental treatment in Brisbane is continuously monitored by ANZCA (Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists) hospital grade full monitoring along with intravenous fluids as well as 100% oxygen therapy during the entire procedure. There will be a continuous infusion of IV anaesthetic, sedative and pain relieving medications via a small IV cannula/drip placed in your arm. The medications are quick and effective, and you will be in a relaxed, sleepy and pleasant dream-like state.
You will be comfortable and unaware of your surroundings and have no recollection of the procedure. Comprehensive continuous patient monitoring will be performed which includes CO2 levels, respiratory rate, oxygen saturation, blood pressure, heart rate and ECG. Although IV sedation in Brisbane will be extremely safe, there will be emergency and resuscitation medications and equipment available in the clinic in accordance with the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetics (ANZCA) guidelines.
Types of procedures (Under IV sedation)
- Fillings
- Cleans
- Extractions (including complex surgical extractions)
- Wisdom teeth extractions
- Dental implants
- Porcelain veneers
- Crowns
- Emergency procedures
Are there side effects?
Side effects are rare. A very small minority of patients have dream-like recollections of the experience but these are not distressing. IV sedation is generally well tolerated, with transient side-effects which can include dizziness and nausea.
Contraindications to IV sedation
There are some relative contraindications where we won’t be able to provide IV sedation.
These include:
- Pregnant patients
- Age below 15
- Diagnosed obstructive sleep apnoea
- BMI greater than 40
- Unstable medical conditions
If you are interested, the first step is to contact us. One of our dedicated dentists will be able to answer your questions and discuss the treatment that best suits you in person.
Photo: Rehabilitation done under IV Sedation for a patient with severe dental phobia.
