Longer stories from our patients

Sometimes the loveliest and most familiar of kindly dentists can’t quite assuage the fear you bring to serious dental work. The calm voice of a sedationist heralds what the solution is going to be: that you won’t know a lot about it. Dr du Plessis immaculately conveyed that gentle, professional presence which made the experience more than bearable. He explained what would happen, involving a level of consciousness that meant I could get up and go home afterwards, but for the length of time the dentist would work I would be quite protected from really understanding anything.

And that was true. Only at the end, I think, when some native lower back pain was agitating, did I notice anything at all — otherwise I knew nothing about the dental work, and was able to be an easy patient and leave with everything nicely accomplished. This is the kind of skill that answers a very deep need some of us have: to render dental work unmemorable. Except for the feelings of comfort, safety and gratitude with which you leave, knowing you’ve experienced wholly kind, gentle, professional care which extends into the following day’s checking by phone. I would recommend this to anyone.

I have always had a strong gag reflex. This has caused problems when dentists have needed to treat teeth deep in my mouth. This came to a head when I needed root canal treatment: the dentist put a rubber dam over my tongue, and after only a few seconds I had a violent gag reflex. I was consequently referred to an orthodontist working with a sedationist.

At the start of the appointment, I met the sedationist, who was very reassuring and explained the procedure carefully. He gave me the opportunity to ask questions, and I found his explanation very complete. He checked my blood pressure, fitted a cuff round my bicep to monitor it during the procedure, and found a vein in my wrist for a small cannula. All I felt was the tiniest of pinpricks. A few minutes later, he announced that he was starting the sedation.

I was watching him, and then the next thing I knew, the dentist was standing in front of me. I looked at him and said, ‘When are you going to start?’ He replied, ‘I’ve finished!’ I had been completely unconscious the whole time. Other times I’ve been under sedation I was conscious of what was going on but completely relaxed — afterwards, I had the impression of being ‘under’ for around ten minutes, when in fact it had been over an hour.

After the procedure I only felt slightly groggy, and the staff were very careful with me. Later that day I had a light headache, easily dealt with by a paracetamol, and slept well overnight. The day after, I felt completely back to normal other than a slight soreness around the tooth that had been treated. Having sedation made the whole episode an anxiety-free experience. I would recommend it to anyone who is nervous or who has a strong gag reflex.

I was feeling a little nervous before my procedure, and although I knew what to expect, sometimes your anticipation can get the better of you. From the moment I walked into the clinic I was instantly put at ease — everyone was extremely friendly and made me feel very comfortable.

The anaesthetist arrived and introduced himself, and once again was very friendly and informative. He went through my sedation with me, what he was going to use and how it would work, and made me feel calm almost immediately. Those nerves had gone, and I felt in safe hands. The whole experience from beginning to end was impeccable.

A great big personal thank you to the anaesthetist for making my experience such a good one, and for looking after me so well. The only thing I’d suggest is a warm blanket for afterwards — I was a little cold!

I arrived at my dentist’s surgery in tears, despite having had many years of dental treatment. For some reason I had developed an awful, sensitive gag response. My dentist suggested sedation. I was incredibly nervous the first time, but the calm, professional sedationist gently sent me into a relaxed state. It would have been impossible for me to have any dental procedure without it — I experienced no gagging, and I have no memory of the treatment at all.

There is nothing worse than the anxiety that makes you gag and retch, or the fear of being out of control under sedation. But the skill of the Sedation Solutions team has meant I can receive the treatment I need with no gagging and no problems with recovery. Knowing you have a highly skilled sedationist dedicated to your comfort and safety means you can relax and let the dentist do his job. I am extremely grateful that such a service exists, and I will continue to use it.

It wasn’t my fear of the dentist itself, or the needles, or the sound of the drill. My phobia really came from two things: I couldn’t breathe through my nose due to a deviated septum, and the sudden, unexplained onset of a bad gag reflex. It was my dentist who recommended intravenous conscious sedation, and eventually, much against what I thought was my better judgement, I agreed to try it. Ten years on, I’m still using Sedation Solutions — I honestly couldn’t go to the dentist without my go-to sedationist, Andre du Plessis.

The whole process is calming and relaxing, and before you know it the procedure is over and you’re slowly coming round. There are a few forms to fill out beforehand — medical, consent and payment — and you’ll need to be nil by mouth for a number of hours in advance. Andre sets up all his equipment in the dentist’s office, sprays a freezing solution on my hand so I don’t feel the IV needle, and starts to administer the drugs.

What happens next is truly magical for anyone with dental anxiety, like me. Any nervousness or dread just gradually melts away. My body feels warm, I feel completely relaxed, and it’s a feeling you don’t want to fight. You are in fact conscious throughout — hence ‘conscious sedation’ — and will respond to the dentist’s instructions, but you don’t recall a single minute of it afterwards.

A combination of drugs is used, tailored to your body weight, anxiety levels and the length and type of procedure. Throughout, the sedationist is in complete control of how much sedation you’re given — he can titrate the level up or down depending on how you’re responding. If, like me, you remain unknowingly anxious even while sedated, he can deepen it further to relax you completely.

At my dentist’s, having a crown made and fitted is a two-step process done in one appointment. I’m sedated for the x-rays and impression, brought to a lighter, semi-conscious state while the crown is made in-office, then put back under for the fitting. Treatments I’ve had under sedation over the years include root canal, crowns, extractions, an apicoectomy, implants, and gum and bone grafts.

Once the sedation stops, I come round very quickly. The most inconvenient part is needing someone to collect you afterwards and feeling a little drowsy for a few hours — a small price for such an extraordinary service. It is the most incredible feeling to know I can go to the dentist for whatever procedure is required and never get anxious about it, and best of all, not remember a thing. Before using Sedation Solutions, I never thought I’d say that. Thank you, Sedation Solutions.

As a young girl I came round with a gas mask on my face during treatment, and I’ve been anxious in the dentist’s chair ever since. As a result, dental treatment was always an ordeal, and my teeth were never straightened because I couldn’t cope with impressions or anything ‘extra’ in my mouth — I have a small mouth and a quick gag reflex. Since being taken on by my current dentist, though, I’ve had regular check-ups and treatment, thanks to her empathetic and careful approach. She suggested we act before my teeth deteriorated further, using conscious sedation to allow the more complex procedures to be done more easily.

Conscious sedation meant I could respond to requests, like opening my mouth, without feeling any pain or discomfort. I basically slept through the two-hour treatment. When it was finished I was a little wobbly on my feet, but with help getting home and a cup of tea I was completely aware of my surroundings again, and although sleepy, had no ill effects — and the procedures were completed. I have vague recollections of some things during treatment, but nothing that causes any difficulty.

Before the procedure you’re asked about your health to make sure nothing is missed. On the day, the qualified anaesthetist talks you through the process, answers any questions, and works with your dentist to administer the sedative and monitor you throughout. There’s a contact number if you’re concerned once home, and a follow-up call checks on your recovery. Conscious sedation through Sedation Solutions has been a life-changer for me — it’s not cheap, but neither are good dentures, and this way I keep my own teeth.

I recently underwent implant surgery and have been asked to write about my experience with conscious sedation. I’m in my mid-60s, brought up in the 1950s and 60s, when dentists seemed to fill teeth before considering any alternative. As a small boy, aged about five, my parents took me for a routine check-up to get me used to visiting the dentist. That dentist decided to fill a milk tooth on the spot. I was very scared and upset, and the dental nurse sat on my legs to stop me struggling. The process ended with that dentist putting the drill through my cheek. As you can imagine, it put me off the dentist’s chair for life — over sixty years of uneasy relationships with dentists, most of them patching up my teeth knowing I was a frightened, difficult patient.

In 2018 I moved to Surrey and had to change dentist. My new dentist identified significant issues with teeth on both sides of my lower jaw, and we decided on implants. Add in a dreadful gag reflex, and my dentist suggested sedation would be a sensible way forward. That’s when I was introduced to Sedation Solutions.

I’ve now had two treatments with conscious sedation from Sedation Solutions. I was extremely nervous the first time, but needn’t have worried — the process was straightforward from start to finish, and I have no recollection of the actual event. My anaesthetist took great care of my needs, and the implants were placed without a problem. When I needed the same procedure on the other side of my jaw, I had no hesitation asking for their help again.

A few days before my second appointment, my anaesthetist called to understand my needs, my state of health, my current medications and my understanding of the process. On the day, he put me at ease, and once the dental surgeon was ready, started the sedation. I don’t remember anything about the treatment and felt no pain at all. My wife met me and took me home, and I was functioning normally within 24 hours.

As an extremely nervous dental patient, my treatment by both the dental surgeon and my anaesthetist was superb, and enabled me to undergo treatment I previously didn’t think I could face. With the benefit of hindsight, if I’d had this level of care earlier in life, I’m pretty sure I’d have resolved my dental phobia much sooner. I cannot praise and thank my anaesthetist enough for his gentle care and attention.

A day before the procedure, Dr Ashraf contacted me by text with precise instructions on what to expect, and left a mobile number in case I wanted to reach him. On the day, he soon put me at ease with his comforting manner, explained fully what would happen with the sedation, and asked if I had any questions.

There was a genuinely relaxed, professional atmosphere in the room, with a bit of banter between the team and me. The sedation worked brilliantly — I wasn’t in the least bit anxious, and felt no pain during or after the procedure, which involved two teeth being extracted. I remember some parts and was able to respond to the dentist’s instructions, but the whole thing passed without any problems. Afterwards, Dr Ashraf walked me to the door and gave clear advice on how to spend the rest of the day. All in all, I am very happy with how Sedation Solutions handled things.

I’d been on an NHS waiting list for months to have a loose crown dealt with, with no appointment in sight, and my anxiety was building — not helped by a planned trip abroad that month. When an appointment with Sedation Solutions was finally arranged, I was nervous about all the forms and steps involved, but the office talked me through everything patiently.

Dr Andre von Backstrom phoned me himself beforehand. Hearing that he’d been doing this work for thirty years, and that mine was a routine case, gave me real confidence. When he arrived at the practice and greeted me by name, it felt like having a friend with me.

The line for the sedation went in painlessly. I remember him mentioning the ‘gin and tonic’ feeling that was about to come over me — and then the procedure was over. I hadn’t felt or known anything had happened. I thanked the whole team and walked out with my husband, feeling completely fine.

My initial contact for sedation came after telling my dentist how uncomfortable I was with local injections for treatment, and they suggested sedation. I received a confirmation email with my appointment, fee and consent forms, which I returned, along with timely confirmations of receipt.

On the day, I was met by the anaesthetist, who went through my paperwork and, once in the consulting room, explained exactly how the sedation would work and what to do if I had any difficulties. He was very calming and professional and put me at ease. I had no problems at all during treatment and came out of the sedation easily — he made sure I was fully aware and capable of travelling home with my husband.

I received a follow-up email the next day to check I’d fully recovered with no complications. The whole process, start to finish, was easy and professional, and has helped me overcome my dental phobia.

I was due to undergo an emergency root canal in Kent in mid-October, arranged by my regular dentist to be carried out by a specialist endodontist. I was extremely apprehensive — the tooth root was infected, drilling had already caused great pain even with local anaesthetic, and no sedation was planned.

At very short notice, my appointment was cancelled after the endodontist tested positive for Covid-19. With a family holiday to Sicily starting the following Saturday, and my dentist having forbidden me to travel before the tooth was stabilised, I searched for a specialist with short-notice availability in central London.

Dr Negin Mosahebi and her receptionist at the Wimpole Street Dental Clinic came to my rescue, promising it would be possible to bring in an anaesthetist for sedation — which relieved me greatly. Dr Mosahebi was reassuring and good at explaining the procedure, and Dr Ashraf from Sedation Solutions took a close interest in my anaesthesia history and how I felt about undergoing sedation.

All went well on the day. I coped well with the anaesthetic and remembered virtually nothing afterwards. As it turned out, the inflammation was too great for the procedure to be completed in one sitting — it’s hard to imagine how unpleasant that might have been without sedation. Two weeks after our holiday, I returned for a resumption of the root canal, once again with Dr Ashraf providing sedation, and the experience was just as positive.

Like so many, I’ve had a dread of the dentist since childhood. Local anaesthetic never worked for me — the first and last time I tried it, it hadn’t taken effect even by the time I got home. For a long time there were big gaps between visits. Some years ago, sedation was the only way I could be treated, and when I tried it elsewhere it was almost successful — but the filling was too big and I couldn’t close my jaw for two days. So I was left worried about sedation.

Fortunately, my new dentist uses Sedation Solutions, and I trusted his judgement when he suggested it over the alternative of local anaesthetic. I’ve used them twice now. The first time went so well that I actually looked forward to the second — to having a good sleep, and no pain.

Sedation has removed my fear of painful dental treatment, and I’m grateful I saved enough over the years to afford it. Now I know my irreplaceable teeth, and I, will always be in good hands. And I can relax.

I’m becoming something of a veteran at this, in the middle of an extensive programme of complex dental procedures. I’ve had many dental procedures since childhood under local anaesthesia and was never particularly anxious — until, about six years ago, a challenging extraction took nearly two hours and resulted in a dry socket and weeks of misery. The memory lingers.

Now in my sixties, I was referred for this current programme of procedures. Once my dentist had explained what it would all entail, my knees began to shake at the thought of it — so I welcomed the option of sedation. Sedation Solutions were swift with the appointment and pre-procedure information, which was clear, concise and easy to act on.

I’m three procedures in now, twice with Dr Bosch, who has been wonderful. He knows I also work in the NHS and am slightly embarrassed by my own anxiety about dental work, and he’s been so reassuring, professional and empathetic — skilled and quick at getting a cannula in, with everything prepared beforehand so there’s no time, once in the chair, to raise the anxiety levels. I’ve never been remotely anxious or in pain during any of the procedures, and recovery has been swift and uneventful each time. The post-op check-in is reassuring too. I really cannot overstate how grateful I am to be in such good hands.

The road to my implant surgery was a long one — I wanted to keep as many of my natural teeth as possible, but as problems arose I decided the time had come for implants. I wasn’t prepared for the prognosis from both my dentist and periodontal surgeon: that the best way forward was to remove all my remaining upper teeth for a full arch implant. I was happy to undergo procedures with normal injections, but removing a number of teeth, including two incisors, was something I didn’t relish, so I held back on deciding — until crunching on some cashew nuts dislodged an already-loose tooth and forced the issue.

My implant surgeon explained the process in depth and my options: intravenous sedation with a qualified anaesthetist alongside the surgery, numbing injections only, or oral sedation in tablet form. I opted for intravenous sedation. The list of possible side effects on first reading felt daunting, and I worried whether my age or medical history might affect my response — but the comprehensive medical history form required by Sedation Solutions eased my anxiety, since I knew the anaesthetist would use it to make a professional judgement about what was best for me.

Sedation Solutions communicated regularly up to the evening before surgery with concise, easy-to-follow instructions, and the anaesthetist sent a mobile number for any last-minute questions. On the day, he spent a good fifteen minutes reviewing my information, talking me through the procedure and what to expect afterwards, and re-emphasising what to avoid over the next 24 hours. It was a very caring conversation that went a long way toward allaying my concerns.

Once the surgery and sedation began, I was very comfortable and recall very little of the procedure, even though I was told I’d be conscious throughout. I went home with an escort, rested for the day, and had a really good sleep. The following day I was still a little ‘vague’ and took it easy. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend intravenous sedation to anyone facing potentially painful dental work — Sedation Solutions provided an excellent, professional service.

When my dentist advised me to consider IV sedation, I was initially apprehensive — I’d tried tablet forms of calming medication before, which never worked, so I wondered if this would finally mean I could get my teeth sorted, something I’d been putting off for years. I’m a very anxious person who grinds my teeth and clenches my jaw at night, and I was sure I’d cracked a tooth and needed x-rays and some filling work.

I had an email giving me plenty of information about the sedation and telling me who my doctor would be, Dr Gideon Bosch. I was very happy to pay the fee, knowing it meant I wouldn’t have to sit through a stress-inducing appointment. On the day, I was extremely anxious as expected, but Dr Bosch introduced himself at reception, told me I’d be absolutely fine and talked me through the process — he has a very calming manner. Getting the IV inserted into my hand didn’t hurt at all; I remember him saying it would take about half a minute, and then I don’t remember much else.

I do recall waking slightly toward the end, aware of the x-rays and finishing touches, but still very calm about it. When I was woken after the appointment I don’t remember much, but my mother told me afterwards I’d made a comment that sounded a bit drunk, which made me laugh. It’s a little disconcerting not remembering the appointment, but in hindsight it was the best decision I made — it enabled me to achieve something I’d been dreading for years. I’m forever grateful sedation is an option for those who need it — it opens doors that a lot of us deem locked forever.

As a nervous dental patient over the years, with past experiences that had made me not have, or defer, treatment, I needed an alternative to get me back in the chair. As a child of the 1970s, when dentistry wasn’t what it is today, the memories remained vivid and negative, however much dentists tried to reassure me. I spoke to several people who’d had sedation before, as well as my own dentist, to understand the process — and for intrusive treatment like root canal or implants, the feedback for someone with my disposition was clear: this would help me get over the line.

On the day of my dental implants, the sedationist talked me through the process before I sat in the chair, explaining what would happen and the possible after-effects — calm, informative and reassuring. Knowing I wouldn’t remember the treatment, even while conscious, put me at ease. The IV went into my arm, I was talking to the dentist, and then a stretch of time simply disappeared. I was still talking when the dentist told me it was over and had gone well — and I don’t remember a thing. Apparently I was quite chatty during treatment, but I have no memory of it.

I needed a little help getting up afterwards, and sat in reception while the sedationist talked me through what to expect over the next 24 hours — including going to bed to sleep it off. Five hours later, after a good sleep, I woke up feeling sore but in a reasonable state. If you don’t want to be aware of dental treatment, sedation is well worth considering — for me, it’s now part of the plan for any major work.

A check-up found an infection in the root of a molar. After discussing the alternatives with my dentist, I decided to have it removed and an implant fitted, which meant building up my gum with a bone graft first. I’d never had sedation before, but after talking it through I decided it would be the best course for me — and I’m very glad I did.

On the day, the nurse handed me over to the anaesthetist, who was very welcoming and helped my confidence considerably. Everything was explained in enough detail that I felt at ease with the procedure. I was told I’d be awake and able to follow instructions from the surgeon, but would probably not remember much and certainly wouldn’t feel anything. The needle went into the back of my hand, the blood pressure band on my arm, a clip on my finger, and I was covered with a blanket. In what felt like a very short time it was over — I think I slept through it. I certainly didn’t feel anything and don’t remember anything from the procedure.

I felt a bit drowsy for the rest of that day and some of the next, but was able to eat soft food and drink cool drinks carefully. If sedation is needed for further implant work, I will certainly opt for it again — for me it was well worth it, and after suffering with terrible dental nerves for sixty-odd years, it has raised my confidence considerably.

From start to finish, my experience was flawless. Dr Bosch explained every step in detail before administering sedation, and had phoned me ahead of the appointment to introduce himself and ask about my health and medication.

He told me how I would feel and what I would remember, made sure I was steady enough to get up and warm enough, and talked me through what I should and shouldn’t do once home — briefing my husband too, when he came to collect me. The whole experience was made very comfortable and easy. Thank you, Dr Bosch — much appreciated.

My story is all good — I’ve used Sedation Solutions many times and have never had a bad experience. The one thing I particularly appreciate is a sense of humour, which every one of your consultants has. I’d also like to thank the office staff I spoke to, who helped me when I had trouble downloading a PDF. Thank you all again.