Anxious Patients

At Stonehouse Dental Care, we appreciate that for many patients coming to the dentist can be unnerving or frightening.

As such our friendly team will always strive to ensure as pleasant and pain free experience as possible.

By guiding you through every step of the patient journey and taking our time to explain different treatment options and procedures, we aim to support our patients and to put them at ease before embarking on any course of treatment.

For those with severe dental phobias and very high levels of anxiety, we may be able to offer intra-venous sedation to allow them to cooperate for dental treatment and ensure a more pleasant experience.

What is iv sedation?

Intra-venous or Conscious sedation is a technique used to reduce anxiety during a dental visit. A small cannula (plastic tube) is placed into a vein in your arm or back of the hand and a fast-acting sedative drug called midazolam is administered.

Unlike general anaesthetic, patients are not “put to sleep”. Instead the dentist controls the depth of the sedation, aiming to make you feel as relaxed as possible whilst also being able to co-operate for treatment.

Is sedation safe?

Yes. To ensure that sedation is safe as possible, all patients must first undergo a detailed sedation assessment to make sure they are suitable for this procedure.

Where patients are not deemed suitable for sedation, our staff can advice on other options which may require an onward referral.

Will I remember the treatment?

No. The sedative drug causes amnesia from when it is first administered and you are unlikely to have any recollection of the treatment being carried out. This makes sedation particularly suitable for long or complex treatments which some patients may find unpleasant.

How will I feel afterwards?

After sedation it is likely that you may feel a little tired and forgetful for the remainder of the day.