Services

Conscious Sedation.

What is Conscious Sedation?

Conscious sedation involves administering anti-anxiety medication — either intravenously (IV) or orally — during your dental treatment. These medications help reduce fear and anxiety, allowing you to undergo dental care with little to no discomfort.

You’ll remain awake and able to respond to instructions, but you’ll feel deeply relaxed — and often won’t remember much (if anything) about the procedure afterward.

A calming solution for dental anxiety.

Dental phobia affects a large part of the population and is one of the main reasons people avoid visiting the dentist — often leading to poor oral health and long-term dental issues.

At Applecross House, we offer Conscious Sedation to help you feel calm, comfortable, and in control during your treatment.

Conscious Sedation FAQs

- Fast-acting and highly effective
- Level of sedation can be precisely adjusted
- Ideal for patients with strong dental anxiety or phobia
- Deeper relaxation than oral or inhalation sedation
- Less chance of remembering the procedure
- Perfect for those with a strong gag reflex
Sedation typically leaves you feeling calm, drowsy, and unconcerned about what’s happening around you. Though you remain conscious, many patients report feeling like they were asleep — simply because the time passes quickly and they remember very little.
This is due to two effects of sedation:
- A deep sense of relaxation
- Temporary memory loss (amnesia) from when the drug takes effect until it wears off
It’s the combination of these that makes the experience feel light, easy, and often forgettable — in the best way.
When administered by a trained dentist, IV sedation is extremely safe — even safer, statistically, than local anaesthetic on its own.
That said, like all medical procedures, it does carry some risks.
Conscious sedation is not recommended if you:
- Are pregnant
- Have a known allergy to benzodiazepines
- Are intoxicated or under the influence of other depressants
- Have certain types of glaucoma
It should be used with caution if you have:
- Liver, kidney, or lung impairment
- Certain psychological conditions
- Advanced age
In most cases, heart disease is not a contraindication — and your dentist will discuss any specific health considerations with you before treatment.
Yes. Sedation relaxes you, but it’s not a painkiller — so local anaesthetic is still required to numb the treatment area. The good news? If you have a fear of needles, you won’t be numbed until the sedation has fully kicked in. By that point, most people are too relaxed to worry about the injection.
Your dentist will always check that you’re properly numb before starting treatment — and even though you’re sedated, you can still respond and let us know if anything doesn’t feel quite right (though you probably won’t remember doing so!).
IV sedation is delivered directly into your bloodstream via a very thin needle placed into a vein — usually in your arm or the back of your hand. Once the needle is in place, it’s removed, leaving a soft plastic tube in your vein for the medication to be administered. This tube stays in during the entire procedure and allows for quick, controlled delivery of the sedative.
Oral sedation is an option if IV sedation isn’t suitable. It involves taking a prescribed sedative pill (usually midazolam) about an hour before your procedure. While it can be effective, IV sedation is generally preferred because it’s faster-acting, more reliable, and easier to adjust during treatment.
Your safety is our priority. While you’re sedated, we monitor your:
- Pulse
- Blood pressure
- Oxygen levels
- Carbon dioxid
This is done using advanced equipment that clips onto your finger and arm. It gives our team constant insight into your vital signs, with early warning signals if anything changes. Your blood pressure is automatically checked every 15 minutes.