What is sedation dentistry?

At Newmarket Family Dental Care our caring dentist and dental team understand that not everyone feels at home in the dental office. We want to provide you with a dental experience that is comfortable and relaxing, even if you suffer from dental anxiety. We are here to make your dental experience as comfortable as possible. Our staff are trained in a number of techniques to assist you.

We are fully equipped to provide a safe and effective sedation experience for your dental care. Sedation dentistry involves using sedative medications and techniques to provide you with a more positive and enjoyable experience at our office. During your initial consultation appointment, your general health will be assessed to help determine if sedation is appropriate for you. Sedation helps you to relax, making the treatment experience much more tolerable. Sedation is NOT a general anaesthetic and even though you are not technically asleep, patients will often feel sleepy while having treatment undertaken. Sedation also helps to reduce what you remember from you treatment appointment. It is typically used to calm patients who feel anxiety related to the dental procedure.

How can sedation help?

With sedation, patients find that their treatment is more far more comfortable than they might have thought. It has the effect of making you feel drowsy and unaware of the time passing by. During the entire appointment you will be monitored continually by our specially trained team of professionals. You will also need to have an escort to pick you up and take you home following sedation. You will not be able to drive a motor vehicle or leave the premises unassisted if you have had sedation as part of your treatment.

You will need to arrange for a responsible adult to escort you home and supervise you for the 24 hours following sedation medication.

Conscious sedation provides an alternative to general anaesthesia for minor ‘in-rooms’ procedures.  It can effectively reduce the pain and stress associated with procedures conducted in dentists’ office. The depth of sedation can be "lightened" or "deepened" depending on the  requirements of the patient, procedure or health care professional. Advantages to patients over general anaesthesia include shorter recovery times and reduced cost. Sedation also provides new or existing patients with an alternative method of completing an uncomfortable or distressing procedure. Advantages to the dentists are that procedures can be carried out in their own rooms and may be performed more efficiently.

There are two forms of conscious sedation available

Oral Sedation

This form of sedation involves taking a prescribed pill before your appointment with Dr Carolyn Langrell-Read. By the time of your treatment, you will feel calm and relaxed.

Intravenous Sedation

The sedative medication is administered using a small injection into the forearm.

For further information visit https://sedation.co.nz/

nfdc_117Our visiting Specialist Anaesthetist, DR Rebecca De Souza MBChB (Otago) FANZCA will provide intravenous sedation for you if requested.

Dr De Souza is trained to provide all the medication and equipment required by the College of Aneasthetists (ANZCA) to give you the safe and comfortable dental experience in the dental clinic setting.

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Patient feedback

  • Morri
    I first saw Carolyn in October 2013. Prior to that, I hadn't seen a dentist for maybe 15 years. To explain, in my past I have known what big pain and fear is, but none beat my fear of a dentist's chair. Old stuff. So I put off what I knew would be good for me. My first visit to Carolyn started out bad and ended calm. She talked me through it, and it's been calm ever since. Over a period of months she salvaged everything and for seven years I've been able to chew without aches. It's a weird thing to look back on, but we do these things - put important stuff off, no idea why. All I know is, I now have no fear of a dentist's chair. Thank you for that Carolyn.
    Morri
  • Melissa, Auckland
    Finally, a dental service I can rely on and honestly don't mind visiting. Our whole family see Carolyn and her team on a regular basis. The general dental care we receive is wonderful. Carolyn's thorough yet relaxed and friendly manner leave us feeling like we have made the right choice in moving to her clinic from elsewhere. I personally had a problem with clenching/grinding my teeth at night, which was damaging and wearing them down. Carolyn suggested I have a specially moulded retainer made to wear whilst sleeping. I was worried it would be uncomfortable, or wouldn't really work, but I am absolutely amazed at its success, and it is actually comfortable. No further wear and tear on my teeth and no more waking up with headaches. Also, thank you Carolyn for all your help and guidance through my recent, major wisdom tooth extraction.
    Melissa, Auckland
  • Rhonda James
    Thank you so much to the staff at Newmarket Family Dental for the fabulous service and professional care I was given recently. I was staying with my family and suffered severe tooth pain (result of a dry socket from a recent extraction in my home town). After a phone call to the dental surgery, I was well looked after by the receptionist and was seen within 15 minutes and the treatment was fantastic.
    Rhonda James
  • Lyn Futter
    I would like to congratulate your dentistry practice for such wonderful service during the current lockdown in Auckland. I required emergency help and I was absolutely astounded as it was offered within three days of my contacting you.  Thank you also for the lovely help from Aanchal as I have problems hearing through the dental masks.
    Lyn Futter
  • Riana Munnik
    I have just been to see Carolyn and her team for a cracked tooth. This has been the most pleasant dental experience I have had in a long time. Being new to the country I can honestly say that the quality work, professionalism, and care Carolyn showed me was outstanding and world class. I would recommend her services to anyone. She was gentle and thorough, giving explanations throughout the procedure. Painless! Well done Carolyn and team!
    Riana Munnik
  • Lauren Watson
    I can’t recommend Newmarket Family Dental Care highly enough!  From my first contact with the team, throughout my dental work, to the follow up calls – every stage with Carolyn and her lovely team exceeded all my expectations and put any nerves I had at ease. They even supplied me with a pink unicorn hot wheat sack, blanket and funky glasses…ever seen anyone so happy and at home having their wisdom teeth extracted?  If you’re a nervous patient looking for a lovely dental team, or just wanting excellent dental treatment from a well trusted and highly skilled dentist, don’t look past Newmarket Family Dental Care!  Thank you team!
    Lauren Watson
  • Barbara - Auckland
    Finding Carolyn was one of the best things that happened to me since I moved to Auckland 2 years ago. I've had my share of bad dentists over the past couple of decades, which was both costly and painful. So when my dental floss got stuck in a problematic filling, I got really nervous with the prospects of seeing a new dentist. As Carolyn was trying to fix the bad work of a previous dentist, the filling broke. My gums were bleeding a lot because of the bad filling, and I had to take more injections so that Carolyn could continue working on my tooth. I got so nervous that my legs started shaking. At this point, Carolyn did two unforgettable things. Firstly, I could see in her eyes that she felt empathy for my suffering, and she did everything in her power to make me feel safe in her capable hands. Secondly, she fixed my tooth after 10 years of discomfort and two bad dentists. I am grateful for Carolyn with all my heart.
    Barbara - Auckland
  • Tony B
    Carolyn and her team provide an outstanding dental service. Carolyn seems very up to date with best practice and new research in dentistry and dental health. She seems very thorough and precise, and determined to deliver a quality outcome that fits a patient’s needs and preferences. I was particularly impressed with Carolyn’s attention to detail in finding a way of making a large filing replacement work in a tooth that was in a difficult location with uncertain strength in its remaining enamel walls. Carolyn crafted the replacement to fit extremely well in a manner that seems to have maintained the required strength. I was also impressed with her attention to detail and current best practice in oral health, particularly the relationship between diet (high fruit intake) and dental hygiene.
    Tony B
  • Chrissie Cunningham
    As a very anxious dental patient I was recommended Carolyn Langrell-Read by a family member who happens to be a dental nurse herself, high praise in itself. I have now been a patient since 1986 and am extremely happy with her caring and professional manner. I required a significant amount of work to be done and have been well informed throughout each stage of the process. Over the past few years my attitude has changed since my first visit when I was terrified to even walk through the door, recently I was so relaxed that I nearly fell asleep in the chair and not due to sedation!! That is due to Carolyn’s patient, kind and thoughtful nature, it makes travelling from the North Shore very worthwhile indeed.
    Chrissie Cunningham
  • Diane McWilliams
    I have known Carolyn Langrell - Read for 6 years. In this time she has treated my gum disease, suggested that I should consider braces, (my bottom teeth were breaking my top teeth), and given me superior dental treatment. Her skill in filling, reconstructing, capping and saving teeth some that have been filled generously with amalgam in the past is extraordinary. Her manner is friendly and professional. She gives you an excellent explanation (both verbal and written) of the treatment she proposes or has achieved. Her equipment is excellent and this combined with her expertise enables her to achieve a very high standard of dental work I feel very confident that Carolyn will look after my teeth in the future and I can recommend her as an exceptional dentist.
    Diane McWilliams
  • Ram Narayan
    Good morning Elaynor Thank you for the follow up call. The treatment has worked well and I have recovered fully. My long term association with your Clinic and repeated visits are a testimony of the good and professional care provided by Dr. Langrell-Read and her staff. I am always impressed with her eye for detail and the ability to listen and to communicate with her patient regarding the treatment planned and undertaken. I have recommended her services to my daughter in law.
    Ram Narayan
  • Carrie Collett
    Thanks Carolyn and co for the care extended to Team Collett over the last four years. We really couldn’t be happier! We have one child who now wants to study dentistry and adores all the gory stories. And another that will now happily turn up for the joy of choosing the wackiest sunglasses. The journey with him in particular has included star jumps to shake out nerves, text messages from the Tooth Fairy congratulating him on his bravery, the fantastic monster paste to encourage brushing performance, and now matching emoji glasses. We really can’t thank you enough for the empathy and creativity used, but most importantly the amazing professional care. We tell everyone how amazing you are!
    Carrie Collett