Sedation – Treatment in a Twilight State

Fully relaxed and safely monitored throughout.

Treatment under sedation at the dentist in Kiel

Sedation – treatment in a twilight state

For patients with pronounced dental phobia, or for more extensive procedures, we offer treatment under conscious sedation. Working with our specialist in anaesthesiology, Detlev Stolle, several treatments can be carried out in a single session – safely and in complete relaxation.

After treatment you will be collected by an accompanying person. We plan the whole process with you in advance and answer all your questions.

  • Conscious sedation supervised by a specialist anaesthesiologist
  • Several treatments possible in one session
  • Full medical safety through an experienced anaesthesiologist
  • Individual preliminary consultation and aftercare
Request a sedation appointment

What conscious sedation really means

With conscious sedation you receive a medication through a vein that puts you into a deeply relaxed, drowsy state. You breathe on your own and remain responsive – but the tension falls away, and most people afterwards have little or no memory of the treatment itself. That point is decisive for many: no new distressing experience is created that would reinforce the fear further.

This is the essential difference from a general anaesthetic. There, consciousness is switched off entirely and breathing must be monitored and usually supported. Sedation is the gentler route with a shorter recovery time – and entirely sufficient for the vast majority of dental procedures.

At our practice this is handled by a specialist in anaesthesiology whose sole responsibility is monitoring you while we treat. Circulation, oxygen saturation and breathing are checked continuously. This division of roles matters to us: nobody does both jobs at once.

When sedation makes sense

Pronounced dental anxiety

When the fear is so great that treatment while awake isn't possible, or becomes an ordeal every time. More on this on our Anxious Patients page.

Extensive procedures

Several treatments can be combined into one session – instead of having to attend appointment after appointment over weeks.

Strong gag reflex

If even taking an impression or working at the back of the mouth is barely possible, sedation largely removes this reflex.

Longer surgical procedures

For instance with several implants or a bone graft – procedures where staying still for a long time would otherwise be tiring.

How your treatment day works

  1. Preliminary consultation with the anaesthesiologist. Pre-existing conditions, medication, allergies and previous experiences with anaesthesia are recorded. You'll learn exactly what happens and can ask anything.
  2. Fasting beforehand. For a defined period before the appointment you must not eat, and may only drink as agreed. You'll receive the exact times in writing beforehand – please stick to them, otherwise the procedure cannot take place.
  3. Cannula and monitoring. You'll be given a venous access in the arm plus monitoring equipment for circulation and oxygen saturation.
  4. Induction. The medication takes effect within a short time. You drift into a relaxed twilight state – the transition is gentle.
  5. Treatment. While we work, the anaesthesiologist continuously monitors your vital signs and adjusts the dosage.
  6. Waking and recovery. After the procedure you stay under observation for a while until you are awake and stable.
  7. Collection. You will be collected by an adult accompanying person. Driving, cycling, operating machinery and making important decisions are off limits for the rest of the day.
Please note without exception: the treatment cannot take place without an accompanying person – not even by taxi alone. And keep the day free: even if you feel fit again after a few hours, your reaction time is still impaired.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between sedation and general anaesthesia?
With sedation at our practice in Kiel you are in a relaxed twilight state – still responsive and breathing on your own. A general anaesthetic switches off consciousness entirely and requires assisted breathing. Sedation is milder, safer and wears off more quickly.
Am I still responsive during sedation?
Yes. During treatment you are in a state of deep relaxation but responsive at any time. Our specialist in anaesthesiology continuously monitors your vital functions, so you are in entirely safe hands.
Who is allowed to collect me after sedation?
After sedation you must not drive a vehicle yourself. Please arrange for an accompanying person to take you home – whether by taxi, by bus or with someone you trust. We agree this together with you at the preliminary consultation.
Will I be aware of the treatment?
You are formally responsive and breathe on your own, but you are in a deeply relaxed twilight state. Most people afterwards have no memory of the treatment, or only fragments – that is part of the effect of the medication used. For many this is precisely the decisive advantage: no new distressing memory is created that would reinforce the fear.
Do I have to fast?
Yes. For a defined period before the procedure you must not eat; whether and what you may drink is determined individually by the anaesthesiologist. You will receive the exact times in writing beforehand. Please follow them without exception – if fasting is not observed, the procedure must be postponed for safety reasons. Regular medication is usually taken as normal; this is clarified at the preliminary consultation.
How long until I'm back to normal?
After the procedure you stay at the practice for a while until you are awake and circulatory stable. Many people feel largely normal again after a few hours – but your reaction time remains impaired for the rest of the day, even if it doesn't feel that way. So for that day: no driving and no cycling, no operating machinery, no important decisions. The following day you are usually fully capable again.
Is sedation suitable for everyone?
Not without restriction. Certain pre-existing conditions of the heart, lungs or liver, certain medications, pregnancy or pronounced obesity can be a contraindication or require additional precautions. That is exactly what the preliminary consultation with the specialist in anaesthesiology is for: he reviews your medical history and decides whether sedation can be carried out safely. If not, we look for another way together.
Will the consultation be possible in English?
Please tell us when booking that you would prefer to speak English, so it can be taken into account when scheduling. The preliminary consultation covers safety-critical details – pre-existing conditions, medication, allergies, fasting times – so it is essential that you and the anaesthesiologist understand each other fully. If you have any doubt about that, bringing a German-speaking person you trust is a sensible precaution.

Considering treatment under sedation?

We'll go through everything with you beforehand – without obligation.

Request an appointment +49 431 57667