What is Sleep Dentistry or Intravenous (IV) Dental Sedation?
Sleep dentistry otherwise known as IV Sedation or twilight sedation refers to the use of pharmacological agents administered intravenously to calm and relax a patient prior to and during a dental appointment.
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Dr Melissa Licenblat
Dr. Melissa Licenblat is a Principal dentist at Sydney Dental Aesthetics & Implants in Martin Place, and has also attained a Graduate Diploma in Clinical Dentistry (Conscious Sedation and Pain Control) and is now primarily a practicing Sedationist.
Dr Melissa Licenblat is known for her warm and supportive manner, combined with her training and experience in providing sedation services. She aims to create a comfortable environment for patients throughout their treatment.
In addition to her work at SDAI, Dr Melissa also provides sedation services for a number of dental practices across Sydney, Wollongong, Goulburn and the Central Coast, where she works in collaboration with local clinicians.
Where is sleep dentistry conducted?
For the convenience of our patients we are delighted to be able to offer sleep dentistry or sedation dentistry in our own practice and administered by our own sedationist, Dr Melissa Licenblat.
Potential Benefits of Sleep Dentistry
- Helping patients feel more relaxed during treatment, depending on individual response to sedation.
- Allowing certain procedures to be performed in the dental practice, subject to clinical suitability.
- The option to complete multiple planned treatments in one appointment, where appropriate for the patient and the procedure.
- Some patients report limited recollection of the appointment; however, experiences vary depending on the type of sedation and individual factors.
Common Procedures
The most common procedures performed under sleep dentistry are:
- Wisdom teeth Removal
- Tooth extractions
- All on 4
- Dental Implants
However, many dental procedures can be performed, after an initial consultation with a dentist, confirming suitability.
What to Expect
On the day of your dental sedation, monitors are set up to assess Blood Pressure, Oxygen Saturation, Pulse Rate and an ECG is placed to monitor the heart both before and during the dental procedure. Once fitness for IV sedation has been established, an intravenous line is set-up. Sedative and pain relieving drugs are administered via this IV line and instant relaxation is felt within a few minutes allowing the dentist to initiate the dental procedure needed. Local anesthetic is only administered once sedation is underway so there is reduced awareness of any needles other procedure.
Preparing for Sleep Dentistry / Dental sedation
Prior to the dental sedation appointment, fasting from food and liquids for at least 6 hours is mandatory. Usual medications may be taken with a small amount of water however this should be discussed with Dr Melissa Licenblat beforehand. A responsible adult who will also escort the patient home must accompany the patient. Loose, comfortable clothing is recommended to allow the blood pressure cuff and ECG nodes to be placed.
The recovery period is the time after the dental procedure and dental sedation has ended. During this time there is constant monitoring of the vital signs and the patient may still feel relaxed and ‘sleepy’. The amount of time in recovery depends on the individual patient and can take between 15-45 minutes. Only when the dental sedationist feels the patient is alert and steady enough to walk on their own will discharge of the patient be allowed.
Discharge is only allowed if a responsible adult is present to escort the patient home and travel is only allowed in a private vehicle (no public transport or taxis). Once home, we recommend a light meal and relaxation (usually sleep) or sitting down. An adult must be present to care for the patient at home for a period of 24 hours after the intravenous dental sedation. Within this time, the patient must not drive or operate any machinery.
Recovery experiences vary between individuals, and your dentist will discuss what you can expect based on your specific procedure and medical history. A personalised post-treatment plan will be provided to support your healing.
Meet Dr Melissa Licenblat our dental sedationist, to learn more about Dr Licenblat please visit her profile page to learn of her education and experience.
Would you like more information about Sleep Dentistry?
Please get in contact and we will call you to discuss your questions and needs, we look forward to hearing from you.