Dental anxiety shouldn’t mean going without care. Sleep dentistry at Horizon Dental uses oral sedation or light IV sedation to create a completely relaxed, deeply comfortable experience — with little or no memory of treatment.
Most sleep dentistry patients wake up with treatment complete and no recollection
dental appointment.
Nitrous oxide — commonly called laughing gas — is the gentlest form of dental sedation available. Inhaled through a comfortable nose mask, it takes effect within 3– 5 minutes, producing a pleasant, calm, slightly euphoric state without losing consciousness or awareness. When the mask is removed, it clears from your system completely within 5–10 minutes.
Unlike deeper sedation options, nitrous oxide allows you to drive home after your appointment. There is no recovery time, no fasting required, and no need for an escort. It is safe for children and adults, and is an excellent choice for patients with mild to moderate dental anxiety, a gag reflex, or who simply want to feel more comfortable in the chair.
- Deeply relaxed, sleep-like state — Oral sedation or light IV — you feel completely calm and safe throughout
- Little or no memory — Most sleep dentistry patients have no recollection of the procedure
- Multiple treatments in one visit — Catch up on years of avoided dental care in a single comfortable appointment
- No needles for needle-phobic patients — Oral sedation taken as a tablet — no intravenous component unless preferred
- Full monitoring throughout — Blood pressure, oxygen and heart rate continuously monitored for your safety
Sleep dentistry patients cannot drive after their appointment. You must arrange for a responsible adult to escort you home and remain with you for 4–6 hours while the sedation fully clears. We provide comprehensive aftercare instructions at your consultation.
right for you?
You’ve been avoiding the dentist for years because of fear. Sleep dentistry removes the anxiety experience entirely — you simply relax and wake up with your treatment done.
A past experience has left you with a strong association between dentistry and pain or fear. Sleep dentistry allows you to build a new, positive experience with no awareness of the procedure.
If you have multiple fillings, extractions, or restorations needed after years of avoidance, sleep dentistry allows us to address everything in one session.
A hypersensitive gag reflex makes some treatments very difficult without sedation. Sleep dentistry eliminates this entirely during the appointment.
Oral sedation (tablet form) is available for patients with needle phobia — no intravenous component required unless preferred.
step by step.
A detailed consultation with Dr Kozor to assess your anxiety, health history, and the treatments you need. We explain the procedure completely and answer every question. No pressure to proceed.
On the day, you take an oral sedation tablet 30–60 minutes before your appointment, or IV sedation is administered on arrival. You begin to feel profoundly relaxed and calm within minutes.
With you in a deeply relaxed state, Dr Kozor completes your dental treatment. Multiple procedures can be completed in one session. You are continuously monitored throughout.
You recover in our care for 30–45 minutes post-treatment. Your escort takes you home. We call the following day to check in. Most patients feel completely normal by the next morning.
choose sleep dentistry.
Most sleep dentistry patients wake up with their treatment complete and no recollection of the procedure. The anxiety experience is removed entirely — not just reduced.
Catch up on multiple treatments you’ve been avoiding in a single comfortable session. Sleep dentistry transforms what would have been 6 appointments into 1.
Many of our sleep dentistry patients discover that after one positive experience, their anxiety significantly reduces for future appointments. It can be genuinely transformative.
questions answered.
Thinking about sleep dentistry? Here are the questions we hear most often from anxious patients considering sedation for the first time.
What is the difference between sleep dentistry and general anaesthesia?
Sleep dentistry (conscious sedation) produces a deeply relaxed, sleep-like state while keeping you technically conscious — able to breathe independently and respond to simple instructions. General anaesthesia renders you completely unconscious and requires hospital equipment. Sleep dentistry is safer, faster to recover from, and appropriate for the vast majority of dental anxiety situations.
Will I feel any pain during sleep dentistry?
No. Sedation reduces anxiety and awareness, but local anaesthetic is still administered to ensure completely pain-free treatment. Sleep dentistry patients typically have no memory of any discomfort because they have no memory of the appointment at all.
How long does the sedation take to wear off?
Oral sedation typically takes 4–6 hours to fully clear. IV sedation clears faster but patients should still allow 4 hours before feeling fully alert. We recommend no driving, signing of documents, or major decisions on the day of your sleep dentistry appointment.
I haven't been to the dentist in over 10 years — is sleep dentistry suitable for me?
Absolutely — many of our sleep dentistry patients are those who have avoided dental care for 5, 10, or even 20 years because of anxiety. Sleep dentistry allows us to complete a comprehensive assessment and address accumulated dental needs in one or two appointments, comfortably and without judgment.
How much does sleep dentistry cost in Sydney?
Oral sedation at Horizon Dental is from $150–$350 per appointment. IV sedation is from $400–$800 per session depending on duration. Dental treatment costs are separate and quoted at consultation. Health fund rebates may apply to some sedation components. We provide full written cost estimates.
next appointment.
Our pre-sedation consultation is completely pressure-free. We listen, we explain, and you decide. Many patients tell us this conversation alone reduces their anxiety significantly.
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team.
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