Acton W3 · implant surgery under sedation
Dental Implants Under IV Sedation — Acton
Quick answer
Can implant surgery be done under sedation?
Yes. Implant placement is planned, predictable surgery, which makes it one of the best fits for IV sedation. You stay awake but deeply relaxed and usually remember little of it. At our Acton W3 practice sedation is from £450 on top of the implant fees, with an adult escort and an in-person assessment required.
- Several implants placed in one relaxed appointment
- Sedation from £450, plus the implant fees
- Given by Dr Kartik Patel BDS, GDC 177993
- CBCT-planned surgery · 0% finance available
Clinical content reviewed by Dr Kartik Patel BDS, GDC 177993 · 64a Horn Lane, Acton, London W3 6NP · We reply within one working day, Monday to Saturday.
What implant surgery feels like under sedation
Implant surgery is far less dramatic than it sounds — but "less dramatic than it sounds" is not much comfort if the thought of it keeps you awake. Here is what sedation changes.
Pressure and sound, not pain
Implant placement is felt as pressure and vibration rather than pain, because the area is fully numb. Sedation deals with the other half of the problem: knowing it is happening.
The length stops mattering
Implant appointments are longer than most dental visits. Sedated patients consistently say the time collapsed — an hour and a half felt like ten minutes.
You can still cooperate
You stay awake and responsive, which matters during surgery: you can open, turn your head and follow a simple instruction, while remaining entirely uninterested in the detail.
Usually little memory of the surgery
Most patients remember the cannula, then recovery, with the middle hazy. We will not promise a blank — only that what people recall is rarely what they feared.
If a previous dental experience is the reason you have put up with a gap or a failing bridge for years, say that when you get in touch. It changes how we plan the appointment.
What can be done in one sedated appointment
Sedation is at its most useful when several surgical steps can be combined, so you go through the recovery once instead of three times.
- Several implants placed in one visit, in one or both jaws
- An extraction and an implant in the same appointment, where the site allows it
- Bone grafting or a sinus procedure alongside implant placement
- Full-arch work, where multiple implants support a whole set of teeth
- Implant placement combined with other treatment you have been putting off
What is possible depends on the CBCT scan, the bone available and your medical history. The plan, the expected length of the appointment and the total cost are all agreed in writing before the date is booked.
When sedation makes sense for implants — and when it does not
It usually suits
- Patients who want implants but cannot face surgery while fully aware
- Several implants, grafting, or a long appointment in one sitting
- A strong gag reflex, or difficulty staying still for an hour or more
- Needle phobia, where the local anaesthetic itself is the barrier
- Patients returning after a bad previous surgical experience elsewhere
When it is not the right option
- A single straightforward implant is often more comfortable than patients expect with local anaesthetic alone
- Some medical and medication histories mean sedation is not the safer choice
- Bisphosphonates, uncontrolled diabetes and smoking affect implant planning as well as sedation
- We do not sedate under-18s
- Where sedation is not suitable, we discuss the alternatives or refer you on
Sedation does not change the surgery or the success rate. It changes your experience of the appointment, which for some patients is the difference between having the treatment and not having it.
Your implant surgery day, step by step
From the CBCT scan to the end of the afternoon.
Assessment, scan and plan
A CBCT scan shows the bone in three dimensions, so the implant position is planned to the millimetre before the appointment. Your medical history and medication are reviewed at the same visit.
The written quote
You leave with the plan, the expected number of appointments, how long the surgery should take, and the total cost in writing — sedation and treatment together, with finance options if you want them.
Arrive with your escort
A responsible adult over 18 brings you or meets you here. Implant appointments run long, so it is worth agreeing in advance whether they will wait or come back.
Cannula, then sedation
A fine cannula goes into your hand or arm and the sedative follows, taking effect within a minute or two. Local anaesthetic is given once you are relaxed.
Surgery, monitored throughout
The implants are placed to the plan while you are continuously monitored. Most patients are barely aware of this part and remember less of it.
Recovery, then healing
Twenty to thirty minutes with us, written aftercare and a number to call, then home with your escort. No driving or work for the rest of the day. The implant then integrates over the following months.
Who gives the sedation, and how you are kept safe
Planning, monitoring and emergency cover for a longer surgical appointment.
One clinician, plan and sedation
Dr Kartik Patel BDS, GDC 177993 is qualified in intravenous conscious sedation and places the implants, so the sedation is judged by the person who knows exactly how long the surgery will take.
Monitored for the whole appointment
Your oxygen levels, pulse and blood pressure are watched continuously by a trained team member — important in a longer appointment, not just a short one.
Surgery planned from a 3D scan
CBCT planning means the nerve, the sinus and the available bone are known before we start, so sedated time is spent placing implants rather than working things out.
Emergency drugs and equipment on site
Reversal drugs and emergency equipment are kept here, checked, and the team rehearses the protocols for using them.
Reviewed in advance
Medication that affects bone healing, bleeding or sedation is picked up at the assessment, well before a surgical date is offered.
Check our registration on the GDC register.
What implants under sedation costs
Sedation is charged by the hour and added to the implant fees — a single implant with abutment and crown is from £2,295. Both appear in one fixed written quote after the assessment, and 0% finance is available over £500.
- Sedation assessment
- In person, before any sedation appointment is booked
- from £75
- IV sedation — first hour
- Sedationist, monitoring and monitored recovery time
- from £450
- Each additional hour
- Agreed in the written quote, not added on the day
- from £250
- Implant treatment
- Single implant with abutment and crown; see the fee guide
- from £2,295
Every patient gets a fixed written quote after the assessment. 0% finance over 3–60 months is available on treatment over £500.
Implant patients travel to Acton from across West London
Implants are a considered purchase, and patients research them properly before travelling. Ours come from across West London to Acton W3 — often because they want one clinician doing the planning, the surgery and the sedation rather than three.
- Ealing W58 min
- Chiswick W412 min
- Hammersmith W610 min
- Shepherd's Bush W1212 min
- Kensington W818 min
- Notting Hill W1116 min
- Richmond TW922 min
- Brentford TW815 min
- Gunnersbury W38 min
- North Ealing W510 min
Each area has its own sedation page. Journey times are to Acton, then a 4–9 minute walk from Acton Main Line or Acton Central to 64a Horn Lane, Acton, London W3 6NP.
Getting home after implant surgery
Implant appointments are long, so the journey home needs a little more thought than usual — and you cannot drive yourself.
- Leave the car at home. You will not be able to drive it back, and it cannot sit on a pay-and-display bay all day.
- Bring an adult escort, or agree a collection time with them. If they would rather not wait, we call them when you are close to ready.
- By train: Acton Main Line (Elizabeth line and GWR) is a four-minute walk, Acton Central (Overground) about nine. Both are easy places for someone to meet you.
- By taxi: there is room to pull in on Horn Lane directly outside, which is the simplest way home if you live a short ride away.
- Your escort is welcome to wait inside for the whole appointment, or use the cafés and the Morrisons three minutes up Horn Lane. Pay-and-display parking is on Horn Lane and the surrounding streets.
- Please do not take a long tube journey or a bus home on your own, even if you feel completely fine when you leave.
Your questions, answered plainly
How much do implants under sedation cost?
Sedation is from £450 for the first hour and from £250 per additional hour, on top of the implant fees — a single implant with abutment and crown is from £2,295. The assessment is from £75. Everything goes into one fixed written quote, and 0% finance is available.
Is sedation safe for implant surgery?
Implant placement is planned from a CBCT scan before anything is touched, and the sedation is assessed, given and monitored separately. Your oxygen, pulse and blood pressure are watched throughout by a trained team member, and reversal drugs are kept on site and checked.
Will I remember the implant surgery?
Most patients remember the cannula and then recovery. Implant surgery is felt as pressure and sound rather than pain, and those are exactly the things sedation makes unimportant. We cannot promise you will remember nothing, only that it is usually hazy at worst.
Can I drive after implant surgery under sedation?
No. Implant surgery alone would not stop you driving, but the sedation does, for the rest of the day. Arrange a lift or a taxi and plan nothing else that afternoon. You will usually be fine to drive again the following morning.
Do I need someone with me?
Yes, a responsible adult over 18 must bring you or meet you here and take you home. Implant appointments run longer than most, so warn them they may be waiting a while, or agree a time for them to come back for you.
How long does an implant appointment under sedation take?
Longer than most dental visits, which is why sedation is charged by the hour. A single implant may take about an hour; several implants, grafting or extractions at the same time can take two or three. The expected time is stated in your quote.
Is this the same as having implants under general anaesthetic?
No. A general anaesthetic means hospital admission and full unconsciousness. IV sedation is given here at the practice: you stay awake, breathing for yourself and able to respond, but deeply relaxed. Almost all implant surgery can be done comfortably this way.
What if I take regular medication?
Bring everything you take. Bisphosphonates, blood thinners, diabetes medication and some other drugs affect healing, surgery or sedation, and smoking affects implant success. All of it is reviewed at the assessment before any surgical date is offered.