Our skilled team provides personalised sedation options to cater to individual needs, promoting a relaxed atmosphere for optimal dental care.
What Is Sleep Dentistry?
Sleep dentistry involves the use of sedatives such as laughing gas to put you in a relaxed state during your oral surgery. The sedative makes you so calm that you feel zero traces of fear during the dental procedure.
Sleep dentistry may also be known as twilight sedation or sedation dentistry. It is worth noting that not all types of sleep dentistry involve “sleep.” Some simply work to get you so calm that you are partially aware of your surroundings.
How Does Sleep Dentistry Work?
In most cases, you are conscious during the procedure. The sedative medications simply put you in lightheaded state.
The sedative medications may be inhaled, taken as pills, or injected directly into your veins. They can start working within a few seconds or hours, depending on the type.
Sleep dentistry exists mainly to help patients with their dental phobia. You may be awake during the procedure but drowsy. Yet, you will still be able to respond when spoken to.
Most of the time, a qualified specialist such as an anesthetist will administer the sedative and monitor your vital signs during the dental procedure.
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Stress-free Dental Experience
Our experienced dental professionals understand that dental anxiety or fear can hinder individuals from seeking essential dental care. With our specialised sleep dentistry options, we ensure that even the most apprehensive patients can feel at ease during their dental treatments. We carefully tailor the sedation approach to each patient’s unique needs and medical history, allowing for a relaxed state while remaining conscious and responsive throughout the procedure.
Your safety and well-being are our priorities, and our team is committed to making your dental visit a positive and calming one.
Types of Sleep Dentistry
Sleep dentistry has proven to be an effective dental practice for many patients. Yet, it is divided into various types because every person’s dental situation will vary, just as the level of dental phobia does. Here are the types of sleep dentistry available to you in Brisbane.
Oral Sedation
Oral sedation uses pills to administer the sedative. This method has you moderately sedated yet conscious and responsive during your procedure.
It may be a preferred option for some patients since it involves just swallowing a pill a couple of hours before the procedure. This is because some patients with dental phobia may also be afraid of needles used in IV sedation.
The pill is a benzodiazepine that decreases activity in the part of the brain that controls fear and anxiety. Some examples of oral sedatives are Halcion, Xanax, etc.
IV Sedation
IV sedation, or intravenous sedation, involves sedative drugs like benzodiazepines, opioids, and Propofol, which put you in a calm state during dental surgery. It is administered into your veins with a thin needle.
The needle is stuck in your arm or the back of your hand. IV sedation is a rather deep sleep dentistry treatment. However, you remain aware of what your dentist is doing and responsive.
Strong amnesia accompanies IV sedation so you will have no memory of the procedure. The major downside is that patients who fear needles cannot undergo IV sedation.
Laughing Gas
Laughing gas is an inhalation-style sedative that yet again works to calm you down. Dentists also refer to it as a happy gas, nitrous oxide.
This gas takes about 5 minutes to kick in, so it will be administered before the process. You remain aware of your surroundings and can communicate with your dentist as needed. However, the gas will make you feel dreamlike during the surgery.
Your dentist will give you oxygen to flush out any leftover nitrous oxide in your body. Then you can drive yourself home since the effects wear away immediately after the dental treatment.
General Anesthetic
General anesthesia fits sleep dentistry perfectly as the sedative makes you unconscious during your oral surgery.
A general anesthetic is perfect if you have dental phobia, extreme dental anxiety, or have experienced a traumatic experience with a dentist. You will have no memory of the procedure since the sedative knocks you out of consciousness.
It is a perfect option for a procedure like dental implant placement, especially when the implant, abutment, and crown(s) are to be fitted on the same day. The dentist can do everything much quicker than usual, and you will welcome your new teeth calmly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Considering sleep dentistry? Let’s dive into your questions and concerns about this innovative approach to dental care.
How much does sleep dentistry cost?
Sleep dentistry cost in Brisbane depends majorly on the type of sedative and the appointment duration. Your initial treatment plan will allow the dentist and specialist to give a suitable quote for your dental procedure.
The costs of sleep dentistry vary from $850 to $1600 when IV sedation is used. You should consult your dentist for a quote specific to your dental needs.
A specialist will monitor your vital signs while you are under the sedative. This will add to the overall cost of undergoing sleep dentistry in Brisbane.
The procedure cost will also be affected by the kind of surgery you are to undergo. A straightforward wisdom tooth extraction will take less time and cost less than, say, a root canal treatment.
Is dental sedation different to a general anaesthetic?
As seen under the sleep dentistry type section, general anesthesia may be considered a form of sleep dentistry; however, if we are talking about medications, they are not the same.
Dental sedation keeps patients drowsy and calm yet aware of their surroundings. On the other hand, general anesthesia leaves the patient unconscious and with zero memory of the procedure upon completion. Your dentist will advise which is better suited to your treatment plan.
How will sedation dentistry help me?
A dental procedure can be successfully carried out without a sedative. However, the need for a sedative medication arises when anxiety and fear govern your dental appointments. Sleep dentistry is perfect if:
- You have dental phobia or anxiety.
- You fear the needles and tools used during the procedure.
- You have a highly sensitive gag reflex.
- You have an extremely low pain tolerance.
- You find it hard to sit still during your oral surgeries.
Is dental sedation worth it?
Depending on your level of dental phobia, dental sedation may be greatly beneficial since it keeps you relaxed throughout the process.
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Where to find us
Moorooka Dental Care
Shop C, 132 Beaudesert Road,
Moorooka QLD 4105
Tel: (07) 3848 3193
Public Transport:
From the city to Moorooka Dental Care, you may hop on the buses with numbers 110/125/115 /124. If you are travelling from the south side, you may take the buses with the numbers 110/115/117/124/125.
Our practice is 1.9km from the Moorooka train station.
