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Call (02) 4216 99117/9-25 Captain Cook Dr, Barrack Heights NSW 2528IV Sedation
IV sedation is one way some people manage dental anxiety. This page explains what it is. Contact the clinic to ask about sedation.
Fees, private health benefits and third-party payment arrangements vary. Please confirm current details before relying on an option.
IV Sedation
Tell us if dental visits make you anxious, including what has been difficult in the past. We can discuss comfort measures and whether sedation is appropriate. Intravenous (IV) sedation uses medicine given through a vein to help you relax during treatment. It is one option within general dentistry in Shellharbour.
With IV sedation, medicine is given through a drip placed into a vein in the arm or hand. You are relaxed and may drift into a light sleep, but you can still respond when someone speaks to you. It is not general anaesthesia, where a patient is fully asleep and treatment is done in hospital. Other options include nitrous oxide (happy gas) and a medicine taken by mouth about an hour before the visit, so ask which is being proposed for you and why.
Our qualified sedation team provides IV sedation after checking your health, medicines and treatment needs. The team will explain who will care for you, how you will be monitored and the risks and alternatives. Sedation does not suit everyone; another approach or referral may be recommended.
Arrange a responsible adult to take you home and follow the sedation team’s written instructions about fasting, medicines and supervision afterwards. Do not drive after sedation. If you are considering wisdom tooth removal, ask about suitability for that procedure. Our dental check-up and clean information covers a routine first visit.
Before treatment, ask for preparation and recovery instructions in writing. Sedation can leave you drowsy, so follow the team’s advice about rest, supervision and returning to activities. Confirm when to eat, drink and take regular medicines, and who to contact if you feel unwell.
To ask about sedation, and for which treatments it may be used, call (02) 4216 9911 or contact the Shellharbour clinic. The fee guide shows IV sedation for one hour from $850. Ask what the quote includes and which dental treatment fees would be additional. For guide prices, start with the questions about dental fees, and read the patient offers and terms before you rely on an offer. You can also read about payment options, the frequently asked questions, and our tooth coloured fillings information if a filling is the treatment in question. You can take time to decide, and you can ask about other ways to manage anxiety.
Sedation is a choice you make with your dentist. These are common reasons people raise it.
A good conversation before the day covers these points.
Frequently Asked Questions
These general answers can help you prepare questions for an individual conversation.
IV sedation uses medicine through a vein to help you relax. With moderate sedation you can still respond; general anaesthesia makes you unconscious. Our qualified sedation team assesses suitability and explains the proposed level, monitoring and risks before treatment.
Related information: contact us page.
Call or book online and say what you would like help with. Ask what your visit includes and what it costs. At the visit, discuss your concerns with the dentist; you can review any proposed treatment and its costs before deciding.
