At Harborne Dental Practice we understand that dental phobia is very common but, whatever your dental fears or concerns, we understand and are here to help! We will do everything possible to make you feel calmer and more relaxed during your treatment, we will go at your pace, ensuring you are able to attend regular appointments and treatments with minimum anxiety.
We offer an intravenous or IV sedation. This is given by injection, either in the back of your hand or in your arm. The dose will depend on the amount of treatment needed and the length of time it will take to complete.
Contact us
During IV sedation you become drowsy and unaware of any treatment, but you are still able to co-operate with the dentist.
The effects of sedative medicine take some time to wear off and your dentist will tell you how long the drugs will take to clear from your body. You won’t be able to drink alcohol, drive or work machinery during this time.
You can be helped to feel relaxed by ‘relative analgesia’ sometimes known as inhalation sedation.
This means breathing in a mixture of nitrous oxide and oxygen (‘laughing gas’) which quickly leads to a pleasant, relaxed feeling. The dentist puts you at ease at the same time, by talking softly and suggesting what you feel. You remain conscious all the time, although you may be a little drowsy, and any treatment given causes you no discomfort. You breathe in the mixture through a nosepiece, which is very comfortable.
You can’t overdose on the gas, as the mixture quickly leaves the body if you breathe in one or two breaths of ordinary air. There are no after-effects either, and you can drive a car after about 15 minutes. Many dentists use this safe and effective technique.
When faced with a challenge or something we’re afraid of, such as a visit to the dentist, our bodies produce substances, which raise our anxiety. However, we can train our bodies to work against this anxiety, by learning to relax. It’s not possible to be anxious and relaxed at the same time, so learning relaxation helps control our anxiety.
Contact Us
