Pain Free Dentistry is a way of providing a comfortable, relaxing and painless experience during your dental treatment.

1. What does pain free dentistry involve?

   Prior to your dental treatment, our specialised anaesthetist will intravenously administer a personalised dose of sedation drugs. Once these take effect, you will still be conscious and be able to respond to the dentists’ requests, which is an important benefit over using general anaesthetics. However, you feel very relaxed and calm with no sense of pain, and will not be affected by the procedure taking place. The various drugs used produce some memory loss, which means you will not remember anything of the procedure once it is complete, similar to waking up after being asleep.

2. Is it safe?

   IV sedation is extremely safe when carried out under the supervision of a specially-trained dentist. Statistically speaking, it’s even safer than local anaesthetic on its own. At Divine Smiles we have specialist anaesthetists who provide the service expertly and efficiently, and professional and friendly dentists who are comfortable and experienced in performing dental treatments while patients are under sedation.

3. Are there any situations when sedation is not advisable?

   Yes. Factors which make IV sedation inadvisable (contraindications) include:

   • pregnancy
   • known allergy to benzodiazepines
   • alcohol intoxication
   • CNS depression, and
   • some instances of glaucoma.

   If you think any of these may pertain to you, please advise your dentist before your treatment begins.

4. Are there additional costs involved?

   The costs of IV sedation will vary from procedure to procedure.
   An average cost is $500 per hour.

5. What are the main advantages of Sedation Dentistry?

   • IV sedation tends to be the method of choice if you don’t want to be aware of the procedure – you “don’t want to know”.
   • The onset of action is very rapid, and drug dosage and level of sedation can be tailored to meet the individuals needs. IV sedation is both highly effective and highly reliable.
   • The maximum level of sedation which can be reached with IV is deeper than with oral sedation.
   • Benzodiazepines produce amnesia for the procedure.
   • The gag reflex is hugely diminished – people receiving IV sedation rarely experience difficulties with gagging.
   • Unlike general anaesthesia or deep sedation, conscious IV sedation doesn’t really introduce any compromises per se in terms of carrying out the actual procedures, because people are conscious and they can cooperate with instructions, and there is no airway tube obstruction involved.

6. What do other patients have to say about pain free dentistry?

   “Basically, its just a tiny pinch in the back of the hand and in goes the ‘stuff’. Nothing happens for several seconds and then you begin to feel light-headed (a little drunk) for a few moments, which is not unpleasent. Then instantly several hours have magically passed and everything has been done. Its like the flick of a switch which turns your brain off for an hour or two. You feel fairly dopey and woozy afterwards where you may want to go and sleep it off.”
   “IV sedation is the best!! I would not hesitate to use it again if I needed to. They numb your hand first, then they put the IV in and before you know it you are off to sleepyland. I really don’t remember too much, just bits and pieces of conversations.”
   “I had IV sedation when I got my wisdom teeth surgically removed yesterday. Let me tell you, it was AMAZING. Cannot put it in better words. All I remember is the doctor putting the sedative in the IV, feeling COMPLETELY relaxed, and still in control of everything, and closed my eyes and before I could reach 8 counting backwards, I was peacefully asleep. I woke literally 2 seconds later with no pain at all! I didn’t believe the doctor when he said it was all over.”

So if you require a major dental procedure but are scared and have been avoiding it, contact our specialist Brisbane dentists today or call (07) 3256 9566, to find out how sedation dentistry can benefit you!