IV and Oral Sedation Dentistry in Thornbury
Calm, monitored dental care on Thornbury High Street for patients who find treatment difficult.
Sedation That Makes Dental Treatment Possible Again
Some people put off the dentist for a year. Others put it off for a decade. If treatment feels impossible right now, sedation is often the thing that changes that.
At Thornbury Dental Wellness we offer intravenous (IV) sedation and oral sedation for patients who find dental appointments genuinely difficult. Both are forms of conscious sedation, which means you stay awake and able to respond, but deeply relaxed and far less aware of what is happening around you. Most people remember very little afterwards.
Everything starts with a sedation assessment rather than the treatment itself. We review your medical history, talk through which option suits you and answer your questions before anything is booked. If you would prefer to explore gentler support first, our Nervous Patients covers how we help without sedation.
We are on Thornbury High Street, and you are welcome to look around before you commit through our Practice Tour.
The Two Sedation Options We Offer
Intravenous (IV) sedation is given through a small cannula in the back of the hand or arm. It works within minutes, and your level of relaxation can be adjusted throughout the appointment. It suits severe dental anxiety, longer visits and surgical treatment. You will need someone to take you home afterwards. IV sedation starts from £300.
Oral sedation is taken as a prescribed tablet before your appointment. It is a lighter option that takes the edge off moderate nerves without a cannula, which helps if needles are part of what you are worried about. Price is available on request.
Which one is right for you depends on your medical history, the treatment planned and how you feel about each. That is decided together at your sedation assessment, not before. Full pricing sits on our Our Fees, and Wellness Plan members receive 10% off sedation.
What Sedation Helps With
- Severe dental anxiety and dental phobia
- A strong gag reflex that makes treatment difficult
- Difficulty getting comfortably numb
- Long appointments and complex or surgical treatment
- Fitting several treatments into fewer visits
- Rebuilding confidence after a bad past experience
For many patients, sedation is a bridge rather than a permanent arrangement. Once a few appointments have gone well, routine visits often stop feeling like something to dread.
Who Provides Your Sedation
Conscious sedation is a clinical procedure, not a comfort extra, and it is treated that way here. Sedation at Thornbury Dental Wellness is delivered in-house by our own trained team, with monitoring throughout your appointment and a dedicated sedation nurse present alongside your clinician at all times.
Meet the Sedation Team
You are monitored throughout treatment, and we check in with you regularly rather than assuming you are comfortable. Nothing begins until you have given informed consent, and we will always stop if you need us to.
Laurie and Esme lead the practice with more than a decade of experience between them in award-winning private dentistry. You can meet everyone on our Meet Our Team.
What Happens From Assessment to Going Home
Knowing the process removes most of the worry. Here is exactly how it works.
- Sedation assessment (£35): We review your medical history and medication, discuss IV and oral sedation and confirm which is suitable. No treatment happens at this visit.
- Your preparation instructions: You will be told in advance whether to eat, what to wear and what to bring. Instructions differ by sedation type, so they are always given to you personally rather than as a generic leaflet.
- On the day: Your sedation is administered by Laurie with Chelsie beside you. You settle within minutes and treatment begins once you are comfortable.
- During treatment: You stay awake and able to respond, but relaxed and far less aware. You are monitored the whole way through.
- Afterwards: You rest with us until you are ready. After IV sedation you must be collected by a responsible adult, and you cannot drive, work or make important decisions for the rest of the day.
If sedation is not what you want, we also offer desensitisation treatment at £100 per session, a step-by-step approach that builds tolerance gradually without medication. It is a slower route, but for some patients it is the more lasting one.
Treatments We Carry Out Under Sedation
Sedation is not a treatment in itself. It sits alongside whatever you need doing, so almost anything on our treatment list can be carried out with it. Patients most often choose sedation for:
Browse everything we offer on our Treatments, or see what a first visit involves on our First Consultation.
Sedation Dentistry FAQs
1. Will I be asleep during sedation?
No. IV and oral sedation are both forms of conscious sedation, so you stay awake and able to respond. You will feel deeply relaxed and most patients remember very little, which is why it is often mistakenly called sleep dentistry. Being asleep would require general anaesthetic, which we do not provide.
3. How much does sedation cost in Thornbury?
A sedation assessment is £35 and IV sedation starts from £300. Oral sedation is priced on request. Wellness Plan members receive 10% off. Full details are on our Our Fees.
5. Can sedation help with a strong gag reflex?
Yes. A sensitive gag reflex is one of the most common reasons patients ask us about sedation, and it can make impressions, back-teeth work and X-rays far more manageable.
2. Is sedation dentistry safe?
Conscious sedation is well established and safe when properly assessed and monitored. Your medical history and medication are reviewed at your sedation assessment first, and we will only recommend it if it is appropriate for you. You are monitored throughout by a trained clinician and a dedicated sedation nurse.
4. Do I need someone to bring me home?
After IV sedation, yes. A responsible adult must collect you and stay with you, and you must not drive for the rest of the day. Oral sedation guidance depends on the dose, and you will be told exactly what applies to you before your appointment.
Book Your Sedation Assessment
If dental treatment feels out of reach at the moment, the assessment is a low-commitment first step. It is a conversation, not a procedure. You will leave knowing which sedation option suits you, what it costs and what the appointment would involve.
Call 01454 802735 or book online. We are at 38 High Street, Thornbury, Bristol, BS35 2AJ.
Prefer to ask a question first? Contact our team.
Sedation Dentistry Near Thornbury and South Gloucestershire
We are on Thornbury High Street with parking nearby, which makes us a straightforward option if you would rather not drive into central Bristol for sedation. This matters more than usual here, because after IV sedation you cannot drive yourself home and someone else has to make the journey with you. A shorter trip is an easier trip.
Patients travel to us from Alveston, Olveston, Almondsbury, Falfield, Charfield, Wotton-under-Edge, Yate, Chipping Sodbury, Bradley Stoke and across South Gloucestershire and North Bristol.
Opening hours Monday 10am to 6pm | Tuesday to Thursday 9am to 5pm | Friday 9am to 2pm | Saturday by appointment
What our patients say
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Have a question or need more information? Contact our team and we’ll be happy to help.
Thornbury Dental Wellness Clinic
38 Hight Street, Thornbury
Bristol, BS35 2AJ