General anaesthetic dentist in BrisbaneFall asleep. Wake up with it done.

With a general anaesthetic, you're fully asleep for your whole treatment. Most people wake up in recovery remembering nothing of the dental work itself. An anaesthetist looks after you from start to finish.

However long it has been, you'll get no judgement here. Just a calm conversation.

  • Fully asleepFor your whole treatment, start to finish
  • Day surgeryIn Chermside, home the same day
  • Clear guide pricesTreatment guide prices shown below. IV sedation and anaesthetic fees are quoted after your consultation
What does it feel like?

Asleep or IV sedation?

Is a general anaesthetic right for me?

We offer two ways to have your treatment: fully asleep under a general anaesthetic, or deeply relaxed with IV sedation. Here's how they compare, side by side.

Compare
This pageFully asleepGeneral anaesthetic
IV sedationTwilight sedation. Learn more
How awake you are
Fully asleep from start to finish
Deeply relaxed and drowsy, but still able to respond
What you'll remember
Most people remember nothing of the treatment
Most people remember very little
Recovery
Rest in recovery, then home the same day. Most people take a day or two to feel like themselves again
A couple of hours in recovery, then home. Most people feel like themselves again the next day
Often chosen for
Severe fear, a strong gag reflex, full-arch implants or lots of work at once
Real dental fear, wisdom teeth, single implants and longer visits
With either option, an anaesthetist looks after you the whole time in a day surgery setting, and someone you trust takes you home. No driving for at least 24 hours.

Not sure which? Tap what sounds like you

Pick as many as you like. It's a gentle starting point, not a decision.

Where you're leaning

Tap anything that sounds like you.

Either way, you don't have to decide alone. At your consultation, Dr Niels looks at your health and your treatment, and helps you choose what suits you.

What it feels like

What does a general anaesthetic feel like?

Most of a general anaesthetic is spent fast asleep. Here's what most people describe, from the moment they arrive to the moment they're home.

  1. Before it starts

    Meet the people looking after you

    You'll meet your anaesthetist and the team, and go over everything one more time. Ask anything you like. We start when you're comfortable.

  2. The drip

    A small pinch, and you're nearly there

    A small drip goes into the back of your hand or your arm. For many people, it's the last moment they remember.

  3. Drifting off

    Asleep within moments

    Your anaesthetist gives the medicine through the drip. Most people feel a gentle heaviness and are asleep in under a minute.

  4. During treatment

    You sleep through it

    Dr Niels carries out your treatment while your anaesthetist watches over you the whole time. Most people have no memory of the treatment at all.

  5. Waking up

    Waking in recovery

    You wake up in recovery with the team looking after you. Many people feel groggy for a while, and surprised that it's all done.

  6. Later that day

    Home to rest

    Someone you trust takes you home. Take it easy for the rest of the day, with no driving for at least 24 hours.

Questions people often ask us

Tap a question to see the answer.

You're fully asleep, so most people feel and remember nothing of the treatment itself. Your anaesthetist keeps you asleep and comfortable the whole way through.

That's completely normal. Tell us, and we'll slow down and talk you through it. Once the medicine starts, most people are asleep within a minute.

Most people feel sleepy and a bit groggy at first. The recovery team stays with you until you're ready to go home.

Yes. You'll need someone to take you home afterwards anyway, and they're welcome to come with you on the day.

Something else on your mind? We'd rather you asked.Ask us anything

Your safety

Who's looking after you

While you sleep, your anaesthetist's only job is looking after you. They put you to sleep, keep you comfortably asleep, and watch every breath and heartbeat on a monitor like this one until you wake.

MonitoringContinuous

Heart rate and rhythm

Sensors track every heartbeat while you sleep, so any change in your heart's rate or rhythm is seen straight away.

Illustration only. Tap each reading to see what it means.

  • Your dentist

    Dr Niels Kirsten (Dentist)

    Plans your treatment with you, then carries it out while you sleep. You'll meet him at your consultation first.

  • Your anaesthetist

    A Medical Anaesthetist

    A medical doctor who puts you to sleep, keeps you comfortable, and stays with you until you wake.

  • The day surgery

    Dormir Group Surgical Centre, Chermside

    A day surgery built for procedures like this, with a recovery area and nurses who stay with you until you're ready to go home.

Meet the people looking after you

Come in for a consultation. Ask anything, see the space, and decide in your own time.

Your day, step by step

What happens on the day

Knowing what's coming makes everything easier. Tap through each stage, and tick each item off as you get ready.

Your checklist0 / 0

Tick each item off as you go.

The day before

A little planning goes a long way

We'll give you clear written instructions ahead of time, including exactly when to stop eating and drinking before your anaesthetic. Most of getting ready is simply making sure someone can take you home afterwards.

If anything changes with your health or medicines, just give us a call.

Tick off when done

Questions about the day? We're happy to talk it through.Call us

Treatments under general anaesthetic

Everything here can happen while you sleep.

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

    Dental implants

    New teeth that stay put, placed while you're fully asleep. A single tooth, or several at once.

    About 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, and one of the most common reasons people choose to be fully asleep.

    About full arch
  • Wisdom teeth & difficult extractions

    Removed while you sleep. Often all four wisdom teeth in one appointment, plus the tricky removals that belong in a surgical setting.

    About wisdom teeth
  • Everything, in one go

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

    How that works
  • Full mouth rehabilitation

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

    About full mouth care
  • Paediatric sleep dentistry

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

    About kids’ care

Not sure which you need? At your consultation we'll tell you exactly what yours would look like, in writing, before you decide anything.

Cost and ways to pay

What will it cost?

Our guide prices are for the dental treatment only, so you can plan around a realistic number from the start. IV sedation, general anaesthetic and day surgery fees are separate, and are quoted after your consultation. Choose a treatment to see its guide price.

1. Choose a treatment

2. Tell us a little more

One guide price covers removing two to four wisdom teeth in a single appointment.

Guide priceSedation fees separate

$1,350Two to four wisdom teeth

  • Treatment, one appointment$1,350

These are guide prices for dental treatment only, in AUD. IV sedation and day surgery fees are separate, and your IV sedation or anaesthetic fees are quoted after your consultation. After your exam and 3D scan, you'll get a fixed written quote before you decide anything.

Payment plans

Spread the cost with MediPay. We'll walk you through the options at your consultation.

Using your super

SuperCare can help you apply to use your super for treatment, if you're eligible.

Medicare & health funds

Medicare may rebate part of your anaesthetic fee. Hospital cover may help with a general anaesthetic, and extras cover with the dental work. We'll give you the item numbers to check.

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.

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.

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

General anaesthetic questions, answered

The questions people most often ask us before their first visit.

Still wondering about something?

Ask us anything. There are no silly questions here.

Yes. With a general anaesthetic you're fully asleep for the whole treatment, and most people remember nothing of it. Your anaesthetist keeps you asleep and comfortable until it's done.

Your anaesthetist stays with you the whole time, watching your heart rate, oxygen, blood pressure and breathing. We also go through your health history and medicines carefully beforehand. Like any medical procedure, there are some risks, and Dr Niels will talk them through with you at your consultation.

A general anaesthetic is tailored to you and your treatment, so we don't publish a set price. Dr Niels will talk it through at your consultation, and you'll get a fixed written quote before you decide anything. Our published guide prices are for the dental treatment only, with IV sedation, general anaesthetic and day surgery fees separate. For example, $1,350 to remove two to four wisdom teeth.

If you have Medicare, you may get a rebate on part of your anaesthetic fee. Hospital cover may also help with a general anaesthetic, and extras cover with the dental work, depending on your level of cover. We'll give you the item numbers so you can check with your fund. Payment plans through MediPay and using your super through SuperCare are also options.

You're asleep for as long as your treatment takes, and your anaesthetist keeps you comfortable throughout. We'll give you an idea of timing at your consultation.

Most people take the rest of the day off and feel like themselves again within a day or two. You can't drive for at least 24 hours.

You'll need to stop eating and drinking for a set time beforehand. We'll give you clear written instructions with the exact times, so there's no guesswork.

Often, yes. Many people choose a general anaesthetic to catch up on years of dental work in as few appointments as possible. We'll plan exactly what's possible for you at your consultation.

Still wondering about something?

Ask us anything. There are no silly questions here.