Sleep Dentistry in Alfredton
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Sleep Dentistry in Alfredton
Some people put off dental treatment for years. It might be a bad experience a long time ago, a strong gag reflex that makes routine work difficult, or the prospect of a long appointment. Sometimes it is simply a lot of treatment needed at once and no appetite for six separate visits.
Sleep dentistry means having your dental treatment under a general anaesthetic. You are fully asleep for the procedure, you feel nothing, and you have no memory of it afterwards. We provide it on site at our Alfredton practice, so there is no separate hospital admission and no waiting list to join.
General anaesthetic at our Alfredton practice
Your anaesthetic is administered by a registered anaesthetist. They assess you beforehand, stay with you for the whole procedure monitoring your breathing, heart rate, blood pressure and oxygen levels, and manage your recovery afterwards. Your dentist is free to concentrate on your treatment.
Because the anaesthetic is given here rather than at a separate facility, your consultation, your treatment and your follow-up all happen in the same place with the same team.
What can be treated this way
- Wisdom teeth and surgical extractions
- Multiple extractions in a single appointment
- Dental implants, including full-arch implant treatment
- Root canal treatment
- Dental Crowns, bridges and larger restorative work
- Several procedures combined into one visit
Treatment that would otherwise take five or six appointments can often be completed in one. Whether that is appropriate for you depends on the treatment itself, your medical history and your pre-anaesthetic assessment.
Is it suitable for everyone?
No. Your medical history, current medications, weight, airway and any heart, lung or sleep apnoea conditions all affect whether a general anaesthetic is appropriate, and so does the treatment being planned.
You will have a dental consultation and a separate pre-anaesthetic assessment before anything is booked. If a general anaesthetic is not the right choice for you, we will say so and talk through what else might make treatment manageable.
Risks
A general anaesthetic is a medical procedure and it carries risks. Most people experience nothing worse than drowsiness, nausea, a sore throat or feeling tired for a day or two afterwards. Serious complications are uncommon, but they are possible, and the level of risk is higher for some patients than others.
The anaesthetist will go through the risks that apply to your circumstances at your pre-anaesthetic assessment, and you will be asked for your consent before treatment goes ahead. Ask them anything you want to know. That appointment exists for exactly that reason.
Before your appointment
- You will be given written fasting instructions. Follow them exactly — treatment is cancelled on the day if fasting has not been observed.
- Tell us about every medication you take, including supplements, herbal preparations and anything bought over the counter.
- Arrange for a responsible adult to drive you home and stay with you overnight.
- Plan to take the day off, and in most cases the day after as well.
You cannot drive, operate machinery, sign legal documents or drink alcohol for 24 hours afterwards.
Fees
There are two parts to the cost: the dental treatment, and the anaesthetist’s fee, which depends on how long you are under anaesthetic. You will receive a written treatment plan with item numbers and a separate anaesthetic estimate before you commit to anything, so you can check both against your health fund.
Part of the anaesthetist’s fee is claimable under Medicare. How much you receive back depends on where you sit against your own Medicare Safety Net threshold, which is different for every patient, so we cannot tell you the amount in advance. The dental treatment itself is a separate fee and is not covered by Medicare.
Flexible payment options are available — please ask our reception team.
If you do not need a general anaesthetic
A general anaesthetic is not the answer for everyone, and plenty of anxious patients get through treatment comfortably without one. Longer appointments, breaking treatment into shorter visits, and simply being told what is happening before it happens all make a difference. Tell us what you are worried about and we will work with it.
Patients from across western Victoria
Because the anaesthetic is provided at our own practice, patients travel to us from well beyond Ballarat — from Bacchus marsh, Beaufort, Brown hill, Bunkers hill, Canadian, and Cardigan, as well as Creswick, Daylesford, Delacombe, Glen park, Hepburn, Lucas, Maryborough, Miners rest, Mitchell park, Smythes creek, Wendouree.
Arrange a consultation
If dental treatment is something you have been putting off, a consultation is the place to start. Smile Studio Ballarat will examine your teeth and gums, explain what treatment is needed, and talk through whether a general anaesthetic is a sensible option for you.
Smile Studio Ballarat
81 Elaine Avenue,
Alfredton VIC 3350
(03) 5337 6453
Monday, Tuesday and Thursday 8.30am – 7.00pm
Wednesday and Friday 8.30am – 5.30pm
Closed Saturday and Sunday
Frequent Questions
Will I actually be asleep?
Yes. Under a general anaesthetic you are fully unconscious for the procedure and will not remember it. This is different from sedation, where you stay awake and aware.
How long will I be under?
It depends entirely on the treatment. Your treatment plan will give you an expected time, and the anaesthetist will discuss it with you at your assessment.
Do I have to go to hospital?
No. The anaesthetic is provided at our Alfredton practice, so there is no hospital admission and no separate day-surgery booking.
Do I need someone to take me home?
Yes, always. You will need a responsible adult to drive you home and stay with you overnight. We cannot proceed without that arrangement in place.
Can children be treated under general anaesthetic?
Yes, from age four. It is often the right approach for a young child who needs extensive treatment or who cannot manage care in the chair. Suitability is assessed by both the dentist and the anaesthetist, and depends on your child’s general health as well as the treatment needed.
What if I am too anxious to come in for the consultation?
Call and tell reception that is the problem. It is a common enough reason for calling that it will not surprise anyone, and there are ways to make a first visit easier.
How soon can it be arranged?
After your consultation and pre-anaesthetic assessment. We will give you the current timeframe when you book.
Registered dental practitioners under the Dental Board of Australia (AHPRA). General anaesthesia is administered by a registered specialist medical anaesthetist. The information on this page is general in nature and is not a substitute for clinical advice. Any dental or anaesthetic procedure carries risks, and individual results and experiences vary. For a medical emergency, call 000.