IV Sedation
At Lancashire Oral Surgery Clinic, we understand that some dental procedures can feel overwhelming, particularly for patients with dental anxiety. To help you through your treatment, we may be able to offer you intravenous (IV) sedation.
What Is Intravenous Sedation?
IV sedation is a method of reducing anxiety and helping you through dental procedures. If you are deemed suitable to receive IV sedation, a safe and quick-acting sedative is administered through a small cannula (a thin tube) placed in a vein, usually in your arm or hand. This helps you feel deeply relaxed, and many of our patients feel drowsy or don’t remember much about the procedure afterwards. This varies from person to person.
Who Can Benefit from IV Sedation?
IV sedation is ideal for patients who:
- Feel anxious about their proposed dental procedure.
- Need complex or lengthy treatments.
- Have a strong gag reflex that makes it tricky to receive dental treatment.
How Does IV Sedation Work?
All patients who wish to be considered to IV sedation will need a separate appointment first to assess their suitability. We will review factors such as your medical history, BMI, social circumstances, and anxiety. If you are suitable, we will provide you with clear instructions about your treatment and what is expected from you beforehand. This will include your starving instructions (if applicable), travel arrangements, and who to bring along with you on the treatment day.
- Administering Sedation: A small cannula is inserted into a vein in your arm or hand, and the sedative is administered. You’ll feel calm and relaxed within minutes. You will then receive local anaesthetic. Often, the actual dental procedure is straight forward as the main factor for needing sedation is dental anxiety.
- Monitoring: Throughout the procedure, your oxygen levels, blood pressure, and heart rate are closely monitored to ensure your safety.
- Recovery: After your procedure, there are recovery criteria that must be achieved before you are discharged. This includes ensuring you are sufficiently orientated on your own.
Will I Be Awake During IV Sedation?
Yes. IV sedation is a form of conscious sedation which does not put you to sleep. You’ll be in a deeply relaxed state and may not remember much about the procedure. For some of our highly anxious patients, this may be insufficient, in which case we can refer you to the hospital to undergo general anaesthetic (GA) if you are suitable.
Is IV Sedation Safe?
Yes, IV sedation is very safe when administered by our trained surgeons. We carefully assess your medical history beforehand and monitor you closely during the procedure to ensure everything goes smoothly.
What are instructions I must follow to receive IV sedation?
Your surgeon will discuss this with you during your sedation pre-assessment.
On the day of your appointment
- You must bring a responsible able-bodied adult with you, usually a relative or friend. They must wait on site, escort you home and stay with you for the rest of the day or overnight if your treatment took place at the end of the working day.
- You must travel with your escort by car or taxi. We do not recommend public transport.
- Take your routine medicines at their usual times unless we advise you to stop a medicine during your first consultation visit.
- Wear comfortable clothing (e.g. t-shirt) to allow us to easily monitor your blood pressure. Avoid nail polish or false nails. As an absolute minimum, please ensure at least 1 finger on each hand is free from nail polish or false nails.
- Please do not bring children on infants to the treatment. Your escort is responsible for looking after you only. If you do have children, you must organise separate childcare for them.
- You may eat and drink up to 2 hours before your appointment. Avoid heavy meals. After this time, please do not eat or drink anything for 2 hours before your appointment.
After your appointment for 24 hours:
- Your escort must stay with you for the rest of the day (8 hours), or overnight if your treatment took place at the end of the working day.
- You must not drink alcohol
- You must not drive or operate any machinery.
- You should remain at home and have a restful day.
- We recommend avoiding social media or signing important documents.
- You may eat and drink soft foods as soon as you like, whilst following our aftercare instructions.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Will I feel pain during the procedure?
No, we will numb the tooth and surrounding areas when you feel sedated. Many patients do not remember this part.
How long does the sedation last?
The sedative effect can begin to wear off after a few hours, but you may feel groggy for the rest of the day. Please ensure you follow our instructions as provided during your consultation.
Is IV sedation suitable for everyone?
No, IV sedation is not suitable for some patients with certain medical conditions, high BMI, or those who are pregnant. During your consultation, we’ll assess your suitability and discuss alternative options if necessary.