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Original poster

Come and talk to me about dental sedation

31 replies

nikos · 19/07/2010 16:18

I'm a nervous dental patient but can manage to get through a normal filling with just the injections. However, I have to have an extraction which is a bit tricky so the dentist has suggested that I have IV sedation for it. BUT am terrified of the sedation and being out of control. Scared that I start talking rubbish or something or that I start to feel things and am not in control enough to tell him.
Please tell me your experiences as am starting to worry about the sedation more than the extraction. He also does gas and air masks for children so am wondering about this option.

OP posts:
scurryfunge · 19/07/2010 16:20

I have had sedation for wisdom teeth extraction. It is great.....I felt fine but was tired afterwards. You don't recall anything whatsoever......you may talk rubbish but who cares? You'll never know.

Picklepants · 19/07/2010 16:24

I was sedated for root canal surgery and it was absolutely fine. I got a cannula thing in the back of my hand - the nurse injected the stuff, I started to feel a bit drunk, then the next thing I knew the nurse was telling me it was over and I could get up. I have only a few, very vague, memories of the actual procedure. Because you're kind of out of it, there's no pain or discomfort while they're working (at least I don't remember being at all uncomfortable).

I also found it reassuring beforehand, knowing that I was getting sedated and didn't have to worry about putting on a brave face for the dentist. Good luck, you'll be fine

Monty100 · 19/07/2010 16:24

I've had sedation (for a filling!) and whilst you sort of know what's going on, you don't feel it and you don't care. I didn't talk rubbish at all.

I was a bit woozy for a short while after but as right as rain after about half an hour.

Original poster
nikos · 19/07/2010 16:29

Do you have control of yourself? Can you control what you're saying? Just have this terrible fear of being in the chair and unable to make sense of things

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scurryfunge · 19/07/2010 16:32

I have no memory at all of the procedure.

Monty100 · 19/07/2010 16:40

Nikos - I would say yes to having control.

Scurry was it IV sedation you had? Perhaps mine wasn't too strong as it was only for a filling and cleaning.

Original poster
nikos · 19/07/2010 16:41

But that's the bit that scares me. Having no recall of what happened when fully awake. Such a wuss aren't I?

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Original poster
nikos · 19/07/2010 16:42

He did say they can control it to what level I want.

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scurryfunge · 19/07/2010 16:48

I can't remember!....I had a cannula though. I had four wisdom teeth removed.

Original poster
nikos · 19/07/2010 19:19

Just bumping in case anyone has any other stories.

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Original poster
nikos · 19/07/2010 21:55

.

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Shaz10 · 19/07/2010 21:57

Sounds lovely. Can you get it for home use?

Monty100 · 19/07/2010 22:36

Yes you can, it's called Gin.

Marjee · 20/07/2010 00:22

I had it a few years ago, I loved it! Can't remember much but dh said he could hear me laughing while they were extracting my tooth! My dentist told me I'd be aware of what was happening but be really relaxed and forget everything afterwards. I vaguely remember telling the nurse I felt really stoned but I don't think I said anything embarrassing apart from that

YourCallIsImportant · 20/07/2010 00:26

I had it for root canal work. It was fantastic, I felt nothing and remembered nothing then went home and slept for 6 hours. I might have talked shit during the procedure but I have no recollection of it, so it doesn't matter.

Original poster
nikos · 20/07/2010 07:35

I still haven't got my head round what it feels like. It seems you are wide awake but cannot remember a thing. Never having had it, that's quite hard to imagine.

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TheOldestCat · 20/07/2010 07:42

I had two wisdom teeth removed under sedation last month.

It was amazing! One second they were putting the canula in my hand, the dentist said he was cleaning my teeth before the extraction and a nurse led me into the next room. I thought I was about to have the procedure when DH walked in to get me - it was all over.

Rather embarrassingly, I then gave a speech to the other patients in the waiting room 'hey everyone, it's amazing, don't be scared, I don't remember anything!' [cringe]

I was fine afterwards - able to get home on the train (as DH doesn't drive and we couldn't afford a taxi - had to lie about this to the dental staff as you're meant to be driven home after).

Honestly, you'll be fine. The sedation is odd as heck but does the job brilliantly.

Original poster
nikos · 20/07/2010 10:00

That's the bit that scares me though oldestcat - doing something like make a speech when under sedation!!!!

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TheOldestCat · 20/07/2010 10:26

Yes, but they will have seen it all before. Don't worry! You can't possibly be as embarrassing as me.

Original poster
nikos · 20/07/2010 16:35

I bet I could!!! I'm now wondering about nitrous oxide as feel I will have more control with that and if I don't like the sensation I can get them to stop. Found it really good in labour (had to be prised off me in fact).

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QueenofWhatever · 20/07/2010 21:27

I've had quite a bit of work under sedation. I can barely remember a thing, but apparently I am 'very entertaining'. Have a HUGE crush on my dentist, but the bits I remember are more of him being inappropriate (stroking my face, sure that's not a core clincial skill). Just need the bugger to ask me out now.

It all depends how much they sedate you with. I recently had a tooth extracted by a different dentist and she used a lot less, so I half remembered it. You do feel brilliantly stoned though.

Original poster
nikos · 20/07/2010 22:44

Talked with dentist today and he said he will only give me light sedation if thats what i want. Queenof- did you feel more in control with less sedation?
I think my problem is that I have always overcome my dental fears by using the power of my own thoughts ('this won't hurt', 'it will be over in 30 minutes' 'i've given birth 3 times' etc) so a big part of it is feeling like I will not be able to do this while sedated and have therefore lost my coping mechanism.
Dentist said I would feel like I'd had a glass of wine and would be talking to him as normally as when we were in the dental surgery.

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MillyMollyMardy · 20/07/2010 22:53

The idea with IV sedation is to use as little as you can. It's given in small increments and you are awake the whole time. The dental work is carried out exactly the same as if you had no sedation, the midazolam simply acts to help you relax. as others have said it also tends to give a degree of memory loss. People can occasionally be a bit inappropriate on it, but the dentist and nurse are aware of this. I've had it myself and found it took the edge off my anxiety about the op I was having, I've also given it many times and it has made things a lot easier for those having the dentistry.

Original poster
nikos · 21/07/2010 07:46

Thanks Milly - you sound like you are a dental nurse? I'm probably being silly about all this but I think it is the loss of control I'm worried about most.

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MillyMollyMardy · 21/07/2010 16:49

I'm a dentist. with sedation you are still awake just sedated, you can still talk, respond to questioning and they could give you minimal amounts so you are barely sedated. Another option to help with anxiety is hypnosis, a good practitioner could teach you self relaxation techniques.