IV sedation vs general anaestheticRelaxed, or fully asleep? Find your fit.

We offer two kinds of sedation at Dormir Group Surgical Centre in Chermside, which we operate out of. 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.

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  • Anaesthetist-ledWhichever you choose
  • Day surgeryIn Chermside, home the same day
  • Chosen togetherAt your consultation, no pressure
What's the difference?

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.

Deeply relaxed

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
More about IV sedation
Fully asleep

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
More about general anaesthetic

Either way, an anaesthetist looks after you the whole time, at Dormir Group Surgical Centre in Chermside, which we operate out of, 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.

Compare
IV sedationDeeply relaxed
General anaestheticFully asleep
How awake you are
IV sedationDeeply relaxed and drowsy, and still able to respond
General anaestheticFully asleep from start to finish
What you'll remember
IV sedationMost people remember very little
General anaestheticMost people remember nothing of the treatment
How it's given
Same for bothThrough a small drip in your hand or arm
Who looks after you
Same for bothAn anaesthetist, the whole time
Where it happens
Same for bothDormir Group Surgical Centre, Chermside
Eating beforehand
Same for bothWe give you exact eating and drinking times in writing
Coming round
IV sedationYou surface gently in recovery, drowsy but aware
General anaestheticYou wake up in recovery, often groggy for a while
Time in recovery
IV sedationUsually a couple of hours
General anaestheticUsually a little longer
Going home
Same for bothThe same day, with someone you trust
Driving
Same for bothNot for at least 24 hours
Back to normal
IV sedationMost people feel themselves again the next day
General anaestheticUsually a day or two
Often chosen for
IV sedationReal dental fear, wisdom teeth, single implants and longer visits
General anaestheticSevere fear, a strong gag reflex, full-arch implants or lots of work at once

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 happensDormir Group Surgical Centre, 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.

  • Model of a single dental implant, a custom tooth on a titanium post

    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 implants
  • Model of a full arch of new teeth held by implants, known as All-on-X

    A 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 arch

  • Wisdom 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 teeth

  • Everything, in one go

    Years of put-off dental work, sorted in one appointment wherever possible. Fillings, crowns and bridges, root canal treatments, extractions, implants and more.

    IV sedationGeneral anaestheticHow that works

  • Full mouth rehabilitation

    A complete, carefully planned rebuild, done in as few visits as we can manage.

    IV sedationGeneral anaestheticAbout full mouth care

  • Paediatric sleep dentistry

    For children aged 2 and over who need more dental work than any child should sit through, done in one appointment while they sleep.

    General anaestheticAbout kids’ care

Not sure which option suits your treatment? At your consultation, Dr Niels talks you through both and you choose together.

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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 Medical Anaesthetist by your side.

    Same

  • The same calm place

    Consulting and Operating at Dormir Group Surgical Centre, Chermside.

    Same

  • Home the same day

    No overnight stay. A trusted adult picks you up and you rest at home.

    Same

  • Watched the whole time

    Your breathing, heart rate and oxygen are monitored from start to finish.

    Same

  • Comfortable throughout

    Your mouth is numbed as well, so you're kept comfortable while the work is done.

    Same

  • It 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.

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Which 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.

5 questionsAbout 30 secondsNothing to sign up for
Question 1 of 5

Myths, gently cleared up

Six common myths 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.

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What happens on the day

Your day, from arriving to heading home.

Not knowing what happens is most of the fear, so here is the whole day, step by step. Walk through it at your own pace.

Step 1 · Before the day

Everything arrives in writing first.

Your written plan tells you exactly when to stop eating and drinking, what to bring, and what to leave at home. You will have organised someone to take you home, and if any question comes up in between, you can just call us.

Step 2 · Arriving

A quiet arrival, not a waiting room.

You come to the day surgery in the morning, and someone who knows you are coming meets you. The paperwork is mostly already done. There is no sitting in a row of chairs listening to a dental clinic at work.

Step 3 · Settling in

You meet the person who watches over you.

You settle in, change into something comfortable, and meet your anaesthetist, the person whose only job today is you. Ask them anything at all. Someone can stay with you right up until your sedation starts.

Step 4 · Sedation starts

A small drip, and you settle into sedation.

A small drip goes into the back of your hand, a quick scratch and it is done. For most people it simply feels like getting heavier. There is nothing you have to do, and nothing you have to be brave about.

Step 5 · During treatment

The work happens. You are watched the whole time.

While you're sedated, Dr Niels does the agreed treatment, and the anaesthetist watches your breathing, heart rate and oxygen without a break. Long appointments pass easily when you're deeply relaxed.

Step 6 · Coming round

You come round slowly, with it done.

You come round in the recovery room with a nurse nearby, and you take as long as you need. Feeling groggy is normal and it passes. Most people are surprised how gentle this part is.

Step 7 · Heading home

Someone you trust takes you home.

Once you are ready, the person you organised drives you home, with written instructions for the evening, what to eat, and how to take it easy. We check in with you the next day to see how you are going.

Every day surgery day runs to a plan, and the exact times for yours come with your written treatment plan, so there is no guesswork on the morning.

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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

    For eligible patients, SuperCare manages the application to access superannuation for approved dental treatment, including the paperwork with the ATO.

    Eligibility criteria apply

  • MediPay

    Payment plans for dental treatment, often sorted within a day, with funds paid directly to the clinic. You will know the full cost of your treatment before you commit to anything.

    Subject to approval · terms apply

  • 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. MediPay is a credit provider. Accessing superannuation early affects your retirement savings, so we recommend independent financial advice before going down that path.

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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) 3272 6056

Outside hours, the chat in the corner can answer most questions straight away.

What's it about?

Questions

IV sedation vs general anaesthetic: your questions answered

The questions people most often ask when they're weighing up the two.

Still wondering about something?

Ask us anything. There are no silly questions here.

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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 Medical Anaesthetist at the 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 are no silly questions here.

Book a consultationCall us