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/
Our 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.