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Conscious sedation is a safe way to help you forget about a procedure that makes you worry you will panic or experience pain. It can only be offered for minor procedures and dental procedures.
It is safe because your vital signs are closely monitored by an expert doctor, and you are able to breathe and move throughout the procedure.
Sedation makes you sleepy and most people fall asleep, even though this is not the aim, but the effect of the sedatives and pain killers.
With sedation you are unlikely to remember anything about your procedure.
On the other hand, in hospital you would be offered a General anaesthetic, which paralyses you completely and they connect you to a breathing machine through a tube in your throat. This is essential where major surgery is involved, but can be avoided in minor or dental surgery.
If you are interested, please get your practitioner to contact us.
If you suffer from any medical conditions or take any acute or chronic medicine, please inform us before the procedure. Please bring a list of any medications you take with you on the day of your procedure
If you feel sick or unwell, please contact us so that we can decide if it is necessary to postpone your treatment.
Please wear comfortable clothes with loose fitting sleeves and flat shoes.
Please ensure you have nothing to eat or drink 4 hours prior to the procedure, not even water. This is very important.
If you take regular medication please take this on the day of the procedure unless advised not to by your dentist/surgeon or myself. Diabetics need to discuss with me what medication/insulin they take on the sedation day.
Please arrive in good time for your appointment with a responsible adult to accompany you home.
1
Step
We email the pre- and post-operative information, a consent form and an invoice to the patient. The invoice can also be sent to the practice. We will call the patient to conduct a sedation consultation before their appointment.
2
Step
The patient attends the surgery, having starved for four hours. A responsible adult escort is a legal requirement unless the patient opts for Byfavo (in which case no escort is needed)
3
Step
The sedation equipment will be set up in the surgery. The patient is greeted and any questions regarding the sedation will be answered.
4
Step
The patient is cannulated and given some intravenous drugs to make them relax. The patient is closely monitored throughout the whole procedure.
5
Step
Optional IV drugs can be administered via a drip as necessary: IV Paracetamol, IV Voltarol, IV fluids and or/IV Dexamethasone
6
Step
Post-operative instructions will be explained to the escort while the patient recovers after the procedure.
7
Step
Once the doctor is satisfied that the patient is safe, they will leave them in the care of their escort. The patient will have amnesia from the procedure.
8
Step
The patient will be emailed the day after the treatment for feedback.
If your child is offered sedation
We offer IV sedation in suitable children. IV sedation is successful for the majority of anxious children, but dentists usually offer gas and air as a first option.
The other option is being treated in hospital under GA (general anaesthesia), but there is usually a long waiting list for hospitals and some parents feel this is too invasive for their child, who only needs a minor dental or surgical procedure.
You may request IV sedation, but the decision will be joint between the treating dentist/surgeon and the sedation doctor, as we need to consider the National Guidelines.
When it is agreed that your child would need sedation, we will phone you at a suitable time to discuss the procedure.
Our nurse will meet you and your child an hour before the procedure to apply the numbing cream if needed and to get to know your child.
The sedatives and pain relief medication is then administered through the butterfly. Sedation is not dangerous as your child can still breathe, cough, move and react.
Your child will be closely monitored during the procedure and therefore parents cannot stay during the procedure. After the procedure you will be called in and your child will be in a recovery area and ready to go once they are strong enough to walk.
Recovery is usually within an hour after the procedure, which is much quicker than after a GA in hospital.
It will not be safe for your child to go home in public transport as they will be unsteady on their feet and others might be emotional.
We advise going home by car/taxi and staying home for the rest of the day until your child is fully recovered from the IV medication.
IV sedation involves placing a small “butterfly” (cannula) which most children find painless with distraction techniques and numbing cream.
Unless pre-arranged a responsible adult must take you home after the sedation, and remain with you for the next 12 hours. We have alternative drugs available if you do not have an escort, but this needs to be pre-arranged.
On arriving home, we advise the patient to have a small drink of water or squash. If they can tolerate this, then they may progress onto something bland to eat e.g scrambled egg.
The patient should not experience any nausea or vomiting after sedation. If they do vomit more than once, we advise them to contact myself or their surgeon/dentist.
We advise the patient not to drive, operate machinery or have any alcohol for 24 hours following the procedure. We also advise them not to use anything electrical, e.g kettle, iron, drill…
We advise the patient not to make any irreversible decisions or sign any legal documents for 24 hours following the sedation.
If the patient is taking regular medication, we advise them to ask myself or their dentist/surgeon when they should take their next dose after the sedation.
Patients who would like to be sedated are welcome to ask their doctor
or dentist to contact us for more details.
Dentists, Doctors or Oral surgeons who wish to perform minor procedures
under sedation are welcome to contact us for more details.
Any minor procedure can be done under conscious sedation:
Patients who are healthy and have well controlled medical conditions e.g. diabetes, hypertension and asthma, are suitable for sedation (ASA I and II). Patients with significant or uncontrolled conditions e.g. severe heart disease, morbid obesity, need to be assessed on a case-by-case basis. Please contact us if you are unsure or have unusual cases and we will advise appropriately.
What our patients think about us
I’d just like to thank dr Swart for looking after me so well , I was so so scared and he took all that away. Thank you so much
Dr Rudi was wonderful. I was obviously nervous on arrival, he put me completely at ease and I would without hesitation use him again and highly recommend him.
10 out of 10 from start to finish. Would definitely recommend this to anybody and will definitely do the same without any hesitation.
It worked so well I couldn't remember a thing.
I felt very comfortable with Dr Smit, you can tell she has understanding and reassurance for her patients.
11/10 for Dr Swart, Very professional, friendly and i didn't feel a thing :-)
My whole experience was excellent
For someone who has a real fear of dental procedures, I felt completely relaxed and at ease.
We have worked with Dr Rudi and his team at Advanced Sedation Ltd for several years. It has been an absolutely pleasure - their service is professional, efficient and we have excellent outcomes. We use them for routine dentistry as well as more longer procedures. Our patients always give great feedback. Their online booking system makes life so much easier for coordinating appointments.
