We understand that anxiety can be crippling for some of our patients and we offer a range of techniques to make patients feel comfortable and help them to build confidence and gradually overcome their fears and worries.

In addition to providing a relaxing, calming space, DVDs and music, magazines and hot drinks to make patients feel comfortable , we also have a really understanding, experienced and compassionate team and we will always go out of our way to help nervous patients to feel as calm as possible. We want to work with you to slowly build your confidence and enable you to come to the dentist without any feelings of dread or nervousness.

One of the most effective techniques we use to help comfort and relax nervous patients is sedation.

About sedation

Sedation is a technique, which is used in clinics and hospitals up and down the country every day; it is widely used in dentistry and medicine to make patients feel comfortable during procedures.

Sedation is used to induce a profound state of relaxation; it involves using sedative medication and it is not the same as general anaesthetic. When you are sedated, you feel drowsy, but you remain conscious; you will be able to hear your dentist and speak to them if you wish to. Once the procedure is complete, you will be given medication to make the sedative wear off and you will gradually start to feel more awake and alert. It can take up to 24 hours for the effects of sedation to wear off completely and we advise you to arrange for somebody to take you home and stay with you during this period of time.

If you are a nervous patient, we are here to help. Our caring team has experience in caring for anxious and phobic patients and we will do everything we can to provide the treatment you need with minimal stress and inconvenience.

At City Dental Leeds, we offer a range of treatments for nervous and anxious patients, including sedation. If you suffer from dental anxiety or dental phobia or you are very nervous about an impending procedure, we are here to help; we use modern techniques and the best treatments out there and our dentists are caring, compassionate and hugely talented.

When you come for treatment, your dentist will be with you every step of the way and you can rest assured that you’re in the best hands; our entire team works to ensure that every patient feels calm and relaxed and we will do everything we can to help you overcome anxiety from the moment you arrive at the clinic.

What is sedation and how does it help anxious patients?

Sedation is a technique, which is used to help patients to feel relaxed and prevent them from feeling pain when they have medical or dental procedures. Sedation involves the use of sedative medication, which helps to induce a state of complete relaxation. When you are sedated, you don’t feel any pain and you feel calm; you don’t lose consciousness like when you have general anaesthetic and recovery time is shorter.

Sedation is a really effective way of making patients feel relaxed when they have treatment, but it also helps people to feel calmer in the build-up to a procedure, as they know that they’re not going to feel any pain. Sedation is also beneficial for patients who are having a long or complex procedure.

What happens after treatment?

When you have sedation, you feel drowsy and a bit sleepy and it can take a while for the effects of sedatives to wear off. We allow patients to go home after treatment, but we do ask for them to arrange a lift home and for somebody to stay with them. After sedation, it’s advisable to take it easy and avoid exercising, drinking alcohol, driving or operating machinery.