Most dental work needs only local anaesthetic. For longer procedures or anxious patients, sedation or general anaesthesia may be offered. Each option has a different level of risk and a different need for monitoring.
Local anaesthetic
A numbing injection in the area being treated. You stay awake and aware. It is the standard for fillings, extractions and most implant placements, and it carries the lowest risk.
Nitrous oxide
A gas mixture breathed through a mask that helps you relax. The effect wears off quickly after it stops. It is not available everywhere.
Oral and intravenous sedation
Sedatives given as a tablet or through a vein make you relaxed and drowsy. You may remember little. Intravenous sedation needs a trained clinician who monitors your breathing, heart rate and oxygen levels.
General anaesthesia
You are fully asleep. It is used for longer or complex surgery and needs an anaesthetist, proper equipment and a monitored recovery. Ask who is providing it and where the procedure will be done.
Before you agree
Tell the team about your medical conditions, medication and previous reactions to anaesthesia. Follow the fasting instructions exactly. Arrange for someone to accompany you, because you should not drive or make important decisions afterwards.
Questions to ask
Who will give the sedation or anaesthetic and what are their qualifications? How will I be monitored? What emergency equipment is available? What are the risks for someone with my health?
The short version
Choose the lightest option that is safe and comfortable, and do not accept sedation without knowing who monitors you.
General information, not medical advice. A qualified dentist decides what suits you after examining you.