If you’re a nervous patient and need to get dental treatment, you might be considering how to be fully asleep during treatment.

This blog talks about two different forms of sedation available to patients so you can make a fully informed decision as you embark on dental treatment.

General Anaesthetic vs Conscious Sedation

General Anaesthetic (GA) in the UK is provided by a consultant Anaesthetist, and involves the patient being put fully to sleep through injected medicine.   Typically GA is only provided in Hospital setting because of the risks involved or the complexity of treatment, and is not commonly available in general dental practices that you would find outside of a Hospital setting.

The most common type of sedation provided in dental practices is Conscious Sedation.   Conscious Sedation is a technique which uses medications to help relax and calm the patient, whilst maintaining their ability to respond to verbal commands.   Together with Local Anaesthetic, this offers a pain free and stress free experience.

What is Conscious Sedation?

Patients remain fully awake during Conscious Sedation, but in an incredibly deep state of relaxation.   From the time the medicine is applied, anxiety of dental treatment is drastically reduced.

Most patients undergoing more complex or longer treatments opt for IV Sedation.  At Danbury Dental Care we use a medicine called Midazolam.  

IV Sedation using Midazolam

Midazolam is one of the most commonly used drugs in IV sedation, providing a range of important benefits to patients undergoing dental procedures. First and foremost, amnesia is one of the key functions of this drug, which means that patients will have no recollection of the procedure after it’s over. This can be especially helpful for those who tend to experience high levels of anxiety prior to dental visits, as it helps them feel relaxed and at ease during the actual procedure.

In addition to its amnesic properties, Midazolam also acts as a sedative, helping patients to endure their treatment with greater ease. This drug produces a feeling of calmness and wellbeing in patients, minimizing discomfort and allowing them to simply relax and focus on improving their dental health. Ultimately, for anyone nervous about visiting the dentist or undergoing oral care procedures, Midazolam can be truly transformative as it ensures that you always have access to a level of comfort and relaxation that is impossible without it.

So whilst conscious sedation doesn’t use general anaesthetic, the sedative effects during treatment alongside the amnesic properties of Midazolam (IV Sedation) can provide a very similar outcome for patients. This means that you can have a pain free and relaxing experience at the dentist without having to worry about any of the side effects associated with anaesthetics.

Danbury Dental Care is the leading provider of Dental Sedation across Chelmsford and the wider Essex region. If you have any questions or would like to talk with a Dentist, feel free to get in touch as we’d love to help!