Implant Surgery & Support
Sedation & sleep dentistry
Two levels of sedation, chosen to match the procedure and your level of anxiety — from light relaxation you can drive home from, to sleeping through complex surgery.
Your two options
Nitrous Oxide — Light Sedation
Mild relaxation without sleep. You remain conscious and aware, recovery is immediate, and you are safe to drive afterwards. Best suited to routine cleanings and minor procedures.
IV Sedation — Deep Sleep
Administered by a dental anaesthesiologist. You sleep through the procedure with continuous monitoring of pulse oximetry, blood pressure, and ECG. Recovery takes several hours and you will need a driver. Ideal for complex surgery and severely anxious patients.
Choosing between them
The decision comes down to two variables: how anxious you are, and how long and involved the procedure will be.
For a cleaning you have been putting off because it makes you tense, nitrous oxide is usually enough and lets you carry on with your day. For three hours of implant surgery, or for someone whose anxiety is genuinely phobic, IV sedation is the humane and clinically sensible choice.
We would rather over-provide comfort than have you avoid treatment. If you are unsure which you need, that conversation is exactly what the sedation consultation is for.
Sedation is not only for anxiety
Most people assume sedation is for patients who are frightened, and it often is. But there are four other reasons it gets used, and they are worth knowing because they may apply to you even if you are not nervous at all.
- A strong gag reflex. Some people cannot tolerate work at the back of the mouth however calm they are. This is a physical response, not a psychological one — see severe gag reflex.
- Long or complex procedures. Sitting still for three hours is hard on the jaw and the back regardless of temperament. Sedation makes a long appointment tolerable, which in turn means work can be completed in one visit rather than three.
- Difficulty getting numb. A small number of people are genuinely harder to freeze. Sedation reduces the anxiety that makes freezing less effective, and allows more time to achieve it properly.
- Needle phobia specifically. If it is the injection rather than the dentistry, that is a different problem with a different answer — see fear of needles.
Nitrous oxide, in practice
Nitrous oxide is breathed through a small nosepiece. It takes effect within a few minutes and wears off within a few more once the gas is stopped.
- What it feels like. Light-headed and detached, rather than asleep. You hear everything and can answer questions. Most people describe time passing more quickly than expected.
- Recovery. Essentially immediate. You breathe oxygen for a few minutes at the end and then you are safe to drive.
- Who it suits. Cleanings and fillings you have been putting off, and children who need a little help settling — see laughing gas.
- What it will not do. It does not remove the need for local anaesthetic. It changes how you feel about the appointment, not what the tooth feels.
IV sedation, in practice
IV sedation is a different order of thing, and the important detail is who administers it.
- A board-certified dental anaesthesiologist gives it. Dr. Stephen Ing manages the sedation while the dentist does the dentistry. One person is watching you and nothing else, which is not the case everywhere IV sedation is offered.
- You are monitored continuously — pulse oximetry, blood pressure and ECG throughout, not spot checks.
- You will not remember much of it. Most people have little or no recollection of the procedure, which is usually the point.
- You need a driver and most of the day. Recovery takes several hours and you cannot drive, work or make decisions that matter for the rest of it. Arrange that before the appointment, not on the morning.
- There are instructions beforehand — usually about eating, drinking and medication. They are given at the assessment and they are not optional.
The questions people actually ask
Three come up almost every time.
- Will I say anything embarrassing? Under nitrous oxide you are simply relaxed, not disinhibited in the way people imagine. Under IV sedation you are mostly asleep.
- Is it safe with my medical history? That is what the assessment beforehand is for. Bring a full list of your medications, including anything over the counter and any supplements, and tell us about heart, lung and sleep conditions specifically.
- Can I have sedation just for a cleaning? Yes. If a cleaning is the appointment you keep cancelling, nitrous oxide for a cleaning is a sensible trade.
Common questions
Who gives the IV sedation?+
Dr. Stephen Ing, a board-certified dental anaesthesiologist. He manages the sedation and the monitoring while the dentist carries out the treatment, so one person is responsible for you and nothing else.
Will I be asleep?+
Under IV sedation, effectively yes, and most people remember little of the procedure. Nitrous oxide is lighter: you stay awake and aware, just relaxed.
Can I drive home?+
After nitrous oxide, yes. After IV sedation, no. You will need someone to drive you and you should keep the rest of the day clear.
Does sedation replace the freezing?+
No. You still receive local anaesthetic. Sedation changes how you experience the appointment; the local anaesthetic is what stops the tooth feeling anything.
I am not anxious, but I gag badly. Would this help?+
Often, yes. A strong gag reflex is a physical response rather than a nervous one, and it is one of the more common reasons people here choose sedation.
Related procedures & comparisons
Questions about your procedure?
Schedule a consultation with our dental anaesthetist to discuss which option fits your situation. Call (905) 479-7777.