Patients often ask whether sedation means being “put to sleep”. The answer is no, not in the way a general anaesthetic does. Understanding the difference can help you and your dentist or doctor choose the right option.
Depth
A general anaesthetic makes you completely unconscious. You cannot respond, and a machine or the anaesthetist usually supports your breathing.
Procedural sedation keeps you in a deeply relaxed, drowsy state. You usually breathe on your own and keep your protective reflexes, and the depth can be adjusted moment to moment.
Setting
General anaesthesia normally takes place in a hospital or day theatre. Sedation can often be provided in your dentist’s or doctor’s rooms, by a mobile sedation team who bring all their own monitoring and emergency equipment.
Recovery
Recovery from sedation is usually quicker. Most patients rest under observation for a short while and then go home with a responsible adult the same day.
Cost
Because in-rooms sedation avoids hospital and theatre fees, it is often a more affordable option, which matters when a medical aid does not cover theatre costs.
Which one is right for you?
Not every procedure or patient is suitable for in-rooms sedation. Longer or more complex surgery, and some medical conditions, are better managed in hospital. Dr Khan assesses your health and the planned procedure beforehand and will tell you honestly if a hospital setting would be safer.
Talk to Dr Khan
If you have questions about sedation for your procedure, call or WhatsApp Dr Khan on 071 646 1513, or get in touch here. Dentists and doctors can also book a sedation team for their rooms.
This article is general information and not a substitute for medical advice. Dr Khan assesses every patient individually before sedation.