Dental anxiety is one of the most common reasons people put off getting the care they need. At MK Smiles, we see nervous patients in Milton Keynes every single day, and our entire approach is built around making your experience as calm, comfortable, and pressure-free as possible.
Whether you have not visited a dentist in years, had a difficult experience in the past, or simply feel overwhelmed at the thought of sitting in the chair, we will not judge you for it. We will work with you, at your pace, until you feel ready.
Dentists at MK Smiles have a few tips for you to help ease the fear :
- Visit the dental surgery to look around, meet the receptionist and dentist and see the environment. Tell the dentist you’re anxious and your concern, so they know beforehand.
- Pick an appointment early in the morning, so you have less time to dwell on it.
- The first appointment will be a check-up, so don’t worry about having any treatment. See this first visit as your chance to get to know the dentist.
- Take a friend with you to your appointment. Dentists at MK Smiles won’t mind if they accompany you throughout the check-up or treatment.
- Agree on a sign with the dentist to signal that you need a break and want them to stop. It can be as simple as pointing your finger and will help you feel more in control.
- If you think it will help, start gradually with a clean and polish, and work up to other treatments, such as fillings, once you’ve built trust and rapport with your dentist.
- Talk to the dentist about using a numbing gel if you fear needles.
- Use headphones to listen to music during your visit. It may help you relax.
Give us a try and come and meet our friendly team by calling us on 01908348100
IV Sedation for Nervous Patients in Milton Keynes
For patients whose anxiety is more significant, or where the treatment required is more complex, we offer intravenous sedation as a safe and effective option.
IV sedation involves administering a carefully measured sedative medication through a small cannula, usually placed in the back of the hand or arm. The drug used is Midazolam, a short-acting benzodiazepine that works quickly and produces a deeply relaxed, calm state.
You remain conscious throughout. You can still hear your dentist and respond to instructions, but you will feel detached from what is happening and most patients have little or no memory of the procedure afterwards. It is not the same as being put to sleep, but for many patients it feels that way.
Throughout the procedure, your pulse and oxygen levels are continuously monitored using a pulse oximeter. Blood pressure is checked before and after treatment. A trained nurse supervises your recovery before you leave the practice, and most patients are ready to go home within 45 minutes of the procedure ending.
You will need someone to take you home and stay with you for the rest of the day. You should not drive or make important decisions while the sedative is still in your system. IV sedation can be used alongside a wide range of treatments, including root canal treatment, tooth extractions, and multiple fillings carried out in a single visit.
IV Sedation Versus General Anaesthetic
Why not give us a try and come in for just a chat to meet our friendly team?
We will listen and not rush you, and more importantly, we will do whatever we can to help you dentally fit at your own pace.
In addition, we offer IV sedation for patients who prefer not to experience some dental treatments fully. If you are looking for safe and effective dental sedation, our specialist sedation team can help you relax.
Call us to book a sedation consultation or book online for an examination with one of our dentists, or have a friendly chat with our treatment coordinator for more information.
FAQs
General anaesthesia is when the patient is entirely unconscious, but dentists and doctors try and shy away from this if possible. During IV sedation, the patients are conscious but unaware of any pain and have none or minimal recollection of the dental procedure. This technique is safe when carried out by well-trained sedation and their team in appropriate surroundings. With sedation, the patient breathes for themselves and does not suffer the ill effects of GA, nausea, muscle pains, sore nose, and throat. There is also an element of amnesia. Thus, the patient has a more relaxed experience afterwards.
Intravenous" means that the drug is put into a vein. An ultra-thin cannula is placed into a vein near the skin's surface, either in the arm or the back of your hand.
The anti-anxiety drug used is Midazolam, chosen because it is a short-acting benzodiazepine.
Pulse and oxygen levels are measured throughout the procedure using a "pulse oximeter". This gadget clips onto a finger and measures pulse and oxygen saturation. It gives an audible early warning sign if you're getting too low on oxygen, although if your dentist and the nurses are paying attention, they should see it way before the machine does. Blood pressure before and after the procedure should be checked with a blood pressure measuring device.
You can hear things as verbal contact must be maintained – per the GDC definition of conscious sedation. If we ask you to take a deep breath, you will respond, but you will not remember this, and none of what is occurring will worry or trouble you. You may not be able to see anything as we cover your eyes with protective glasses. Your mouth is numbed up as usual in the dental surgery, but you will not be able to recall this happening, and the dental treatment will proceed while your teeth and gums are completely numb, so you won't be able to feel anything.
IV sedation is extremely safe when carried out under the supervision of a specially-trained dentist. Purely statistically speaking, it's even safer than local anaesthetic alone!
However, contraindications include the following:
- Pregnancy.
- Known allergy to benzodiazepines.
- Alcohol intoxication.
- CNS depression.
- Some instances of glaucoma.
Heart disease is generally not a contraindication.
This depends mainly on the amount of sedation and the amount of dental work that you have received. This also depends on your metabolism of the sedative drugs used in your sedation. Typically most patients have left the premises within 45 minutes of going into our recovery facility, where a trained nurse will supervise your recovery and give you your postoperative instructions. You will need a chaperone to escort you home after the treatment.
You might have little or no recollection of the procedure for two reasons:
- IV sedation induces deep relaxation and a feeling of not being bothered by what's happening.
- The drugs used for IV sedation produce either partial or complete memory loss (amnesia) when the drug first kicks in until it wears off. This effect is that time seems to go by quickly, and you have very little recollection of what has just occurred. Many patients remember none of the proceedings, which suggests that there was a period of sleep during the procedure.
After a sedation consultation, your experienced dentist will talk you through the process and give you a bespoke quote for your treatment. It would be best if you felt comfortable with your dental team, so we ask that you come and visit the practice several times until you are ready.
