Dental sedation

Putting the comfort and relaxation of
our patients first

At one80dental we recognise that, particularly when lengthy treatment is required, it’s extremely important to keep the patient feeling relaxed and confident as well as pain-free. We also understand that some patients are nervous about a visit to the dentist, especially if they have had negative experiences in the past.

We work in conjunction with practitioners who provide sedation services for the practice. All are either qualified dentists or medical doctors or both. They provide intravenous (IV) sedation, which reduces anxiety through an injection of a small and controlled amount of a drug called Midazolam and/or Propofol. Patients remain awake at all times, but in a relaxed and slightly drowsy state.

Anxious patients

At one80dental we believe the emotional needs of our patients are just as important as their clinical needs, because when people don’t feel comfortable they tend to avoid seeking the treatment they require. Unfortunately that means their oral health can suffer.

We have had many success stories with patients who initially experienced overwhelming anxiety, yet after two or three treatments they no longer needed intravenous sedation for dental visits.

Sedation can be made available whenever it is appropriate. It is a reliable solution to emotional distress, yet we do consistently find that over the course of a few visits, as we begin to build a trusting relationship, the nature of each patient’s experience changes.

A sense of the unknown; unknown dentists, nurses and staff, and an unknown waiting room, surgery and dental chair, can exacerbate anxious feelings that are completely understandable.

The strain of being in unfamiliar surroundings with an unfamiliar team naturally eases over time, and we find that sedation is a useful way of helping nervous patients over that first hurdle until this happens.

When you are able to take that first step and feel the compassion shown by every member of the one80dental team, the foundations will be laid for feeling calmer and more relaxed on you next visit.

We are sensitive to each patient’s needs and will ask you regularly how you are feeling, so that if you’d like to slow down, or have something explained again, we will check to find out, even if you initially feel uncomfortable about saying so.

It’s important to us that you understand what’s happening, and what is about to happen, at all times, and so we never assume we know what you’re thinking and feeling — we check in with you as we go along.

By going at your pace, and taking your anxiety on as part of our duty of care, we want to work with you to manage your fear and take the stress out of your future dental care.