Sedation Dentistry for Nervous and Anxious Patients

Options to help you feel calm in the chair. You stay awake and responsive the whole time.

Sedation Dentistry at St Ives Smiles Dentistry

Sedation dentistry uses medication to help you relax during treatment, while you stay conscious enough the whole time to respond to your dentist. It is not a general anaesthetic. You won’t be put to sleep.

St Ives Smiles offers three options: nitrous oxide, oral sedation and IV sedation, with nitrous oxide and oral sedation given in-house by our own dentists, and IV sedation, the deepest of the three, provided by a visiting sedationist. We talk through which suits you before anything goes ahead.

What Is Sedation Dentistry?

Sedation dentistry uses medication to help you relax during treatment, while staying conscious enough to respond to your dentist throughout. It is not a general anaesthetic. Feeling nervous about a dental visit is common. It’s one of the main reasons people put off treatment they need.

At St Ives Smiles that spectrum covers three options: nitrous oxide, oral sedation and IV sedation. The lighter two, nitrous and oral, are given in-house by our own dentists. IV sedation, the deepest, is provided with a visiting sedationist, for the reason set out below.

A calm dental appointment at St Ives Smiles

Is Sedation Dentistry the Same as Being Put to Sleep?

No. Sedation dentistry keeps you conscious and able to respond to verbal commands throughout treatment. General anaesthesia is different: a drug-induced loss of consciousness in which the patient can’t be roused even by pain.

You may see the term ‘sleep dentistry’ used online. None of the options here put you to sleep in that sense. General anaesthesia for dental treatment is done in a hospital, by a dentist working alongside an anaesthetist, and it isn’t a service St Ives Smiles offers. Every technique used here is designed to make a full loss of consciousness unlikely, not to bring one on.

The Three Options We Offer

Each suits a different level of anxiety or a different length of appointment.

Option	How it’s given	What it feels like	Who provides it
Nitrous oxide (happy gas)	Inhaled through a mask	Relaxed, awake, able to talk throughout	Our own dentists, in-house
Oral sedation	A single tablet before your visit	Relaxed, awake and responsive	Our own dentists, in-house
IV sedation (twilight)	Through a drip	More deeply relaxed; may drift toward a light sleep but still responds to your dentist	A visiting sedationist

Nitrous Oxide (Happy Gas)

A minimal sedation technique: nitrous oxide mixed with oxygen, breathed through a mask. It takes effect within a few minutes and wears off quickly once the mask comes off.

You stay conscious and can talk to your dentist. A dentist doesn’t need the Dental Board’s conscious-sedation endorsement for nitrous alone, which is why our own dentists provide it in-house.

Oral Sedation

A single anxiolytic tablet, prescribed by your dentist, taken about an hour before your appointment to ease anxiety before treatment starts.

Like nitrous, it’s minimal sedation: a single low dose, no mixing with other sedatives, and you stay responsive. Our own dentists prescribe and administer it in-house, after reviewing your medical history.

IV (Twilight) Sedation

Delivered through a drip, IV sedation gives a deeper, more relaxed state. You may drift toward a light sleep, but still respond to your dentist’s voice.

Because it’s a deeper form of conscious sedation, it needs the Dental Board of Australia’s endorsement plus IV training. Our own dentists don’t hold that endorsement, so IV is provided with a visiting sedationist.

Porter nitrous oxide sedation machine at St Ives Smiles Dentistry — Our nitrous oxide (happy gas) machine

Is Sedation Right for Me?

Whether sedation suits you depends on your medical history, current medications and the treatment you’re having, so your dentist reviews this with you before recommending an option.

This conversation happens before your appointment, not on the day, so there’s time to plan. Nitrous and oral sedation suit many routine and moderately anxious visits. IV sedation is generally kept for deeper anxiety or longer procedures such as wisdom teeth removal or dental implants, where the assessment is made together with the visiting sedationist.

Getting Ready for Your Appointment

Getting ready starts with the conversation you have with your dentist beforehand, not a printed checklist. They confirm which option suits you, explain what you’ll feel and what happens afterwards, and answer questions specific to your health.

Because oral and IV sedation change how you’ll feel afterwards, arranging a lift home is part of that conversation (see the FAQ below). Nothing about the day should come as a surprise.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does sedation dentistry hurt?

No. Sedation helps you feel calmer, but it doesn’t replace pain relief. Your dentist still uses local anaesthetic to numb the area being treated, the same as they would without sedation. The two do different jobs, easing anxiety and blocking pain, and most sedated appointments use both together.

Can I drive myself home after sedation dentistry?

It depends on which option you have. After oral or IV sedation, you shouldn’t drive yourself. Arrange a lift in advance and, ideally, have someone with you for the rest of the day. Nitrous oxide is different, and your dentist will confirm on the day whether a lift applies to you as well.

Is sedation dentistry safe for children as well as adults?

Sedation can suit both anxious adults and children. Not every option suits every age or medical history, though. Your dentist assesses this case by case, the same way suitability is assessed for adults. If you’re asking on behalf of a child, raise it directly with your dentist.

How do I arrange sedation for my appointment?

Mention it when you book, or raise it with your dentist directly if you’d rather discuss it first. Sedation needs to be arranged ahead of the appointment it applies to, so your dentist has time to review your medical history and confirm which option suits you.

Does sedation cost extra?

Sedation costs vary with which option suits you and the treatment involved, so there’s no single figure to quote here. Your dentist talks you through the details, including cost, when arranging it. St Ives Smiles offers payment plans, in-house or through Humm, if that helps.

Sedation rules for dentists are set nationally by the Dental Board of Australia. Your dentist will always confirm what applies to your specific treatment at your appointment.

Book a consultation to talk through your options

If dental anxiety has kept you from booking, sedation might make the difference for a routine general dentistry visit or something more involved. The team at St Ives Smiles can talk you through which option, if any, suits you.

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