Sleep Your Way Through Dental Implant Surgery

2 minute read

Dental implants are a long-term replacement solution for missing or badly damaged teeth, but receiving dental implants is more involved than most other dental procedures.

If you feel nervous about dental implant surgery, you have dental anxiety or you need to replace multiple teeth with dental implants, our dentists at Perth Dental Implant Centre can offer a choice of dental sedation options to help you feel comfortable before and during treatment.

Sedation dentistry options at Perth Dental Implant Centre

Dental sedation involves the careful use of sedatives to help patients feel calm during dental treatment. Sedation options include:

• Oral sedatives allow patients to feel calm and awake during treatment (unsuitable for very anxious clients)
• Sleep dentistry (intravenous sedation) at the clinic
• General anaesthesia in day hospital

The last two sedation options allow patients to sleep through their surgery.

Our dentists will discuss your treatment needs and assess your medical history to determine which sedation method may be the best option for you. We'll make sure you know any possible risks and side effects so you can make a fully informed decision about your treatment.

Surgery under local anaesthesia

Most dental implant procedures are performed under local anaesthesia, followed by a sedative. This involves injecting anaesthetic agents into the part of the mouth being treated to block pain responses in the nerves.

You will not feel any pain under local anaesthesia. Numbness may last up to a few hours after your treatment, but this should not cause any problems. However, it's advised that you avoid alcohol for at least 24 hours before and after anaesthesia is administered.

Surgery under intravenous (IV) sedation

IV sedation (known as sleep dentistry) is administered through a cannula in the arm and the level of sedation is closely monitored by a qualified GP specialist anaesthetist in the dental chair.

You will typically fall asleep under IV sedation and you should feel relaxed. Once you’re asleep, the dentist carefully places your dental implants and then seals the sites with sutures. You’ll then be woken up by the anaesthetist after your surgery is complete. Under IV sedation, it’s typical for patients to have no recollection of their procedure.

As the sedatives can remain in your system for up to 24 hours after your treatment, you should not drive or operate machinery during this time.

Find out if you're suitable for sleep dentistry, call our clinic on 1300 108 133, or book a consultation online today.

Surgery under general anaesthesia in day hospital

If you have more severe dental phobia, you're replacing multiple teeth at once or you're having another surgical procedure such as full mouth dental implants, including All-on-4®, or bone grafting, we may recommend general anaesthesia. This is an induced state of unconsciousness that lasts throughout the procedure.

If you require general anaesthetic for your implant procedure, this will be provided by a qualified anaesthetist at Southbank Day Surgery in South Perth, rather than at our clinic. General anaesthesia does not require an overnight stay, but you should avoid driving or operating machinery for up to 48 hours.

Pain-free dental implant surgery in Perth

Whether you want to replace one tooth, several teeth or all of your teeth, book a consultation with one of our experienced dentists to find out more about your options for dental implants and sleep dentistry in Perth.

Call our team on 1300 108 133 or you can contact our dentists directly.