IV sedation vs general anaestheticRelaxed, or fully asleep? Find your fit.
We offer two kinds of sedation at our Chermside day surgery. With IV sedation you're deeply relaxed. With a general anaesthetic you're fully asleep. Here's how they differ, so you can walk into your consultation knowing your options.
- Anaesthetist-ledWhichever you choose
- Day surgeryIn Chermside, home the same day
- Chosen togetherAt your consultation, no pressure
The short answer
What's the difference between IV sedation and a general anaesthetic?
The main difference is how asleep you are. With IV sedation you're deeply relaxed and drowsy, but still able to respond, and most people remember little. With a general anaesthetic you're fully asleep for the whole treatment, and most people remember nothing of it.
IV sedation
Also called twilight sedation
- Calm and drowsy, and still able to respond
- Most people remember very little
- A shorter recovery, and most people feel themselves again the next day
General anaesthetic
Often called being put to sleep
- Fully asleep from start to finish
- Most people remember nothing of the treatment
- A longer rest, and most people take a day or two to feel themselves again
Either way, an anaesthetist looks after you the whole time, in our Chermside day surgery, and you go home the same day.
Side by side
IV sedation and general anaesthetic, compared
Everything that's different, and everything that stays the same, from the day before to the day after.
Same for both
- How it's givenThrough a small drip in your hand or arm
- Who looks after youAn anaesthetist, the whole time
- Where it happensOur day surgery in Chermside
- Eating beforehandWe give you exact eating and drinking times in writing
- Going homeThe same day, with someone you trust
- DrivingNot for at least 24 hours
Still weighing it up? We'll help you choose at your consultation.Book a consultation
Treatments
Every treatment here, with either option.
Dental implants
New teeth that stay put. A single tooth, or several at once, placed while you're deeply relaxed or fully asleep.
IV sedationGeneral anaestheticAbout implantsA full arch of new teeth
When most of the teeth in a jaw can't be saved, a fixed full set can replace them. Often called All-on-X.
IV sedationGeneral anaestheticAbout full archWisdom teeth & difficult extractions
Often all four wisdom teeth in one appointment, plus the tricky removals that belong in a surgical setting.
IV sedationGeneral anaestheticAbout wisdom teethEverything, in one go
Years of put-off dental work, sorted in one appointment wherever possible.
IV sedationGeneral anaestheticHow that worksFull mouth rehabilitation
A complete, carefully planned rebuild, done in as few visits as we can manage.
IV sedationGeneral anaestheticAbout full mouth care
Not sure which option suits your treatment? At your consultation, Dr Niels talks you through both and you choose together.
Same either way
Whichever you choose, the care around you stays the same
The only real difference is how deeply you rest. Everything else, from who looks after you to how you get home, doesn't change.
Switch between them. Everything below stays put.
The same team
Dr Niels Kirsten (Dentist) does your treatment, with a specialist anaesthetist by your side.
SameThe same calm place
Our day surgery in Chermside, set up for sedation from the ground up.
SameHome the same day
No overnight stay. A trusted adult picks you up and you rest at home.
SameWatched the whole time
Your breathing, heart rate and oxygen are monitored from start to finish.
SameComfortable throughout
Your mouth is numbed as well, so you're kept comfortable while the work is done.
SameIt starts with a chat
A relaxed consultation first. Ask anything, and choose together with no pressure.
Same
Not sure which is right for you? That's exactly what the consultation is for.
Book a consultationWhich might suit you?
Five quick questions to point you the right way
There are no wrong answers. It's a gentle starting point for your consultation, not a decision.
Myths, gently cleared up
Six things people often get wrong about sedation
Tap a card to see what's really true.
0 of 6 cleared up
Still wondering about something? Bring any question to your consultation. Nothing is too small to ask.
Book a consultationYour next step
Relaxed or fully asleep, it all starts with a conversation.
Book a relaxed consultation with Dr Niels. We'll talk through both options, answer every question, and you'll choose together. No pressure, and no judgement.
- Get in touchBook online or call. We'll keep it simple.
- A relaxed chatMeet Dr Niels, ask anything, and talk through your options.
- Your plan, in writingClear next steps before you decide anything.
Reach out
Want to enquire, or just find out more?
Send a question, any question. A real person reads it and gets back to you. No follow-up calls you did not ask for, and no pressure to book anything.
Or call us on (07) XXXX XXXXOutside hours, the chat in the corner can answer most questions straight away.
Ways to pay
More than one way to pay for it.
You will always have a fixed written quote, with item numbers, before anything is booked. When it comes to paying, these are the options we work with.
-
SuperCare logo
SuperCare
For eligible patients, SuperCare manages the application to access superannuation for approved dental treatment, including the paperwork with the ATO.
Eligibility criteria apply
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Humm logo
Humm
Instalment payment plans for dental treatment, with interest-free options available. You will know the full cost of your treatment before you commit to anything.
Subject to approval · terms apply
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Your health fund
Health funds & Medicare
Some surgical items attract Medicare or health fund rebates. Your quote includes the item numbers, so you can check exactly what your fund pays before you decide.
Depends on your cover
Every option has its own terms and approval process, and we will walk you through what applies to you. Accessing superannuation early affects your retirement savings, so we recommend independent financial advice before going down that path.
Questions
IV sedation vs general anaesthetic: your questions answered
The things people most often ask when they're weighing up the two.
Still wondering about something?
Ask us anything. There's no such thing as a silly question here.
With IV sedation you're deeply relaxed and drowsy, but not unconscious, and most people remember very little afterwards. With a general anaesthetic you're fully asleep the whole time. The team, the place and the care around you are the same either way.
Your preference matters a lot. At your consultation, Dr Niels looks at your health, your treatment and how you feel about it, and you decide together.
It varies from person to person. Many people are happy with IV sedation, especially for shorter treatment. People who'd rather know nothing about it, or who have a lot of work to do, often lean towards a general anaesthetic.
Both are given and watched over by a specialist anaesthetist in our day surgery, with your breathing, heart and oxygen monitored throughout. Like any medical procedure, both carry some risks, and Dr Niels will talk them through with you at your consultation.
With IV sedation, most people remember very little, if anything. With a general anaesthetic you're fully asleep, so most people remember nothing of the treatment.
IV sedation usually wears off a little faster, and most people feel like themselves by the next day. After a general anaesthetic, most people take a day or two. With either, someone needs to take you home and you can't drive for at least 24 hours.
Yes, if that suits your treatment. Each visit is planned on its own, so what works for one appointment doesn't lock you in for the next.
Both can help. Many people with a strong gag reflex find a general anaesthetic the most comfortable, while IV sedation also helps a lot of people relax enough for treatment. We'll work out what suits you at your consultation.
Still wondering about something?
Ask us anything. There's no such thing as a silly question here.
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