Three options, depending on what you need
Sedation is not one thing. What suits someone mildly uneasy about an injection is different from what suits someone who has avoided dentists for a decade.
- Relative analgesia (happy gas) - inhaled through a small nose mask. You stay awake and responsive, just calmer. It wears off within minutes, so you can usually drive home.
- Oral sedation - a tablet taken beforehand that leaves you drowsy and relaxed. You will need someone to drive you.
- IV sedation - delivered through a vein, for deeper relaxation on longer or more involved treatment. Most people remember very little afterwards. You will need someone to take you home and stay with you.
It works alongside pain control, not instead of it
Sedation makes you calmer; it does not numb the tooth. Local anaesthetic still does that job. The two together are what makes treatment comfortable, and our whole approach is built around getting pain control right in the first place - topical numbing before injections, taking time, and telling you what is happening before it happens.
Tell us before the appointment
Mention it when you book rather than on the day. Sedation appointments need planning - timing, fasting where relevant, and someone to drive you. We will also go through your medical history and any medication you take before deciding which option is appropriate.
