Will I Be Sedated During Implant Surgery?

At Norfolk Dental Specialists our aim is to make the patient journey as comfortable and relaxing as possible. For those patients who are particularly anxious of dental treatment, we have a range of sedation options available. 

A single implant placement does not take much longer than many routine dental procedures. The patient is given a local anaesthetic in the area the implant is to be placed and any discomfort when the numbness wears off can be treated with normal painkillers available from a pharmacy or supermarket. For longer procedures, patients may wish to be sedated to make themselves feel more relaxed and to reduce anxiety.

Oral Sedation

We are able to prescribe a dose of short-acting medication such as Temazepam (normally used to help with sleep difficulties). This will reduce anxiety for most patients and provides a relaxing effect for uncomplicated surgical stages taking less than an hour.

Conscious Sedation

For procedures of greater complexity, we may suggest a ‘conscious sedation’. This is distinctly different from general anaesthetic because the patient remains alert enough to respond to simple instructions. It is particularly beneficial for procedures taking more than an hour where a hospital admission is not required – this is probably true for the majority of treatments related to multiple dental implants. 

The sedative is administered through a drip into the patient’s arm, heartbeat and oxygen levels are monitored by an experienced anaesthetist throughout the procedure. Most patients are unable to recall the treatment afterwards.

If you would like more information about any of our procedures, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. You can call our reception on 01603 632525 or make an enquiry using our online form.

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