Sedation Dentistry in Prestons: What It Is, Who It Suits and What to Expect
- Star Light Dental
- June 4, 2026
- [email protected]
For some people, no amount of reassurance makes a long dental appointment bearable. Others are calm enough in the chair but are facing something more involved, like the removal of impacted wisdom teeth. In both cases sedation can turn an ordeal into something you barely remember.
Sedation is available at Star Light Dental in Prestons for wisdom teeth removal and other complex treatment. Here is how it works and what to expect.
1. What Is Dental Sedation?
Sedation uses medication to make you deeply relaxed during treatment. It is not the same as a general anaesthetic. With most forms of sedation you remain conscious, you breathe on your own and you can respond when spoken to, but you feel calm and detached, time passes quickly, and many people remember little or nothing afterwards.
Local anaesthetic is still used to numb the area, so sedation looks after the anxiety while the local looks after the pain.
2. The Main Types
- Inhaled sedation, often called happy gas. A mix of nitrous oxide and oxygen breathed through a small nose mask. It works within minutes and wears off just as fast.
- Oral sedation. A prescribed tablet taken before the appointment. It produces mild to moderate relaxation and drowsiness.
- Intravenous sedation, sometimes called twilight sedation or sleep dentistry. Medication is given through a small cannula in the arm or hand by an appropriately qualified practitioner, and the depth can be adjusted throughout. This is the type most people have in mind when they say they want to be asleep.
- General anaesthetic. Complete unconsciousness, carried out in a hospital or day surgery, and reserved for particular cases.
Which option is appropriate for you is decided at a consultation, not over the phone.
3. Who Is It For?
- people with significant dental anxiety or a phobia
- anyone having wisdom teeth removed, particularly impacted ones
- long or complex procedures that would otherwise mean hours in the chair
- people with a strong gag reflex
- people who have difficulty getting numb, or who have had a traumatic experience in the past
4. Is It Safe?
Sedation has an excellent safety record when it is provided by properly trained practitioners with the right monitoring equipment, and its use in dentistry is regulated in Australia. It is not suitable for everyone. Your medical history, current medications, any sleep apnoea or breathing problems, pregnancy and your general health all have to be considered first. That is the purpose of the consultation, and it is why we ask so many questions.
5. Before and After Your Appointment
You will be given written instructions specific to the type of sedation. In general:
- You may need to fast for several hours beforehand.
- Wear loose, comfortable clothing with sleeves that roll up easily.
- You must have a responsible adult take you home and stay with you for the rest of the day.
- Do not drive, operate machinery, drink alcohol, sign documents or make important decisions for 24 hours.
- Expect to feel drowsy and a little forgetful for the rest of the day. Plan to rest.
6. What About Cost?
Sedation is charged in addition to the treatment itself, and the fee depends on the type and the length of the appointment. Health fund cover for sedation varies widely, so check with your fund. We give you a written quote covering both the treatment and the sedation before you commit to anything, and Medipay and Afterpay payment plans are available.
Talk to Us About Sedation
If fear has been keeping you away, or you have been told you need your wisdom teeth out, book a consultation and tell us you would like to discuss sedation. Call Star Light Dental in Prestons on (02) 9432 2833 or book online.
This article is general information. Whether sedation is suitable for you can only be decided after an assessment.