When it comes to modern dentistry, there are so many options available to patients. Sleep dentistry allows you to be completely unconscious while your dental procedure takes place—meaning that you don’t have to sit through the procedure.

The Point Dental is Melbourne’s leading dental practice for addressing dental fear. If you’ve been wondering, “Is there sleep dentistry near me?” the answer is yes. We have an onsite General Anaesthetic Dental Facility available to patients, allowing you to receive your treatment fully asleep without feeling any pain or discomfort.

What procedures does sleep dentistry help with?

The Point Dental is filled with general anaesthetic dentists. We address the dental fear associated with many procedures, these include:

• All-on-4 dental implants
• Preventative dentistry
• Root canal treatment
• Wisdom teeth removal
• Gum treatment
• Dentures
• Cosmetic dentistry
• Dental implants

Get advice on sleep dentistry to help you overcome dental fear. Talk to our friendly team today.

Advantages of sleep dentistry

Sleep sedation dentistry involves general anaesthetic to place patients into an unconscious state. When you’re under, you will not hear, feel, see, or remember anything from your procedure.

Sleep dentistry under general anaesthesia ensures that:

• Your airway is fully protected from foreign material
• Oxygen is continuously supplied to your lungs
• You remain immobile throughout the procedure

Due to the sensitive nature of anaesthetics, the procedure can only be performed by a highly trained specialist anaesthetist. Sedation can also be carried out for a long duration, allowing your dentist to perform multiple procedures in one session.

Sleep Dentistry at The Point Dental

The Point Dental is one of Australia’s few dental clinics to offer an in-house general anaesthetic procedure, without the need for visiting a hospital or outpatient facility. As Melbourne’s leading general anaesthetic dentist, we are proud to offer outpatients:

• Highly trained specialist anaesthetists with many years of experience
• All dental procedures are performed at once, under one roof
• Dental sleep clinic fees claimable from Medicare

The Point Dental offers this procedure in Melbourne and Geelong. Our practice is located in Point Cook, midway between the two cities, and is accessible by car or train.

Frequently asked questions

✓ What is a sleep dentist?

You might be wondering, “What is sleep dentistry?” A sleep dentist is simply a dentist that employs general anaesthetic when treating patients who either prefer or require not being awake for dental care.

✓ Is sleep dentistry safe?

With complete knowledge of your dental needs and medical information, we determine the optimal sedation level for your procedure to make sure you’re safe and comfortable.

When you meet with one of our sleep dentists, they will take their time to address any of your concerns and walk you through the process. Your safety and comfort are our priority.

✓ How can I prepare for my treatment?

Like all medical procedures, sleep dentistry requires some preparation from the patient. This ensures that everything on the table goes smoothly, giving your treatment the best possible chance for success. Good preparation will also increase your comfort and safety while you recover following the procedure.

Here’s what you can do to prepare for your procedure:

1. Advise your dentist on what medications, if anything, you are currently taking. These can affect the effectiveness of your treatment.
2. As a rule of thumb, do not eat or drink anything in the 8 hours leading up to your treatment. This may vary from patient to patient, but your dentist will let you know.
3. Clear your schedule following the procedure. You will be feeling pretty groggy and sleepy afterwards, so it’s wise to put all life and work engagements on hold.
4. You will need someone to take you home after treatment. There is no way you will be able to drive following the procedure. Catching cabs or public transport is also not advised.

With a bit of early preparation, you can have the best possible experience and recovery.

✓ Will I feel any pain or discomfort?

During your procedure, you will feel nothing. However, after your procedure, you may still feel some slight pain and discomfort during the healing period. Our expert dental team will advise you on how to manage pain and discomfort in the time following your procedure.

✓ What is sleep dentistry like?

Here we want to answer the most frequently asked questions about the procedure:

• What does it feel like?: It feels like shutting your eyes and reopening them with the procedure complete — in the blink of an eye
• How long does it take?: As long as your procedure, less than a few hours.
• How will I feel afterwards?: Slightly groggy and a bit disorientated.

The procedure is non-invasive and like the name says, basically feels like taking a brief afternoon nap. You will feel no pain or discomfort. You will experience nothing. You barely even know that anything has happened when you wake up.

✓ How much does sleep dentistry cost?

There is no simple answer to the question, “How much is sleep dentistry?” Sleep dentistry prices will depend on what kind of procedures you need to be completed in a session. For accurate costs and to book your appointment, get in touch with the friendly team at The Point Dental.

✓ Who is suitable for sleep dentistry?

Sleep dentistry is most suitable for people who suffer dental fear or those who experience:

• Fear of needles or drills
• Bad past dental experiences
• A strong gag reflex

It’s also ideal for people who need multiple procedures and lengthy appointments. Plus, we provide children’s sleep dentistry.

✓ What are some other alternatives to sleep dentistry?

If you’d rather not be under general anaesthetic for your procedure, several other options are available to help you overcome dental fear.

• Headphones and eye masks can help keep you distracted and fully immersed while your procedure takes place.
• Anti-anxiety medication like Valium can work with headphones and eye masks to further reduce your exposure to the procedure.
• Penthrox inhalation sedation is a self-administered anxiety treatment, allowing you to control the relief you need.
• Intravenous sedation puts you in the twilight zone between sleep and relaxation, ensuring that you are conscious, but feel no pain or discomfort.

In the end, there’s no better treatment for dental fear than full general anaesthesia administered by a highly trained anaesthetist at The Point Dental.

Contact us to find out more about general anaesthetic dentistry.