The need for sedation is often related to the fear felt for dental treatment. This anxiety can be redused by many ways even before ending up to using sedation. Patient is taken into account as the key person with his or her wishes and is well informed at all stages of treatment from the planning until follow up. 

If sedation is used you should have someone joining you attending the dental clinic and taking you home after the treatment also arranging follow up at home atleast for the following few hours.

The following types of sedation are used in dentistry

Oral sedation can range from minimal to moderate where you take a pill. Typically, the pill is usually taken about an hour before the procedure. The pill will make you drowsy, although you'll still be awake. This is the type of anesthesia most commonly associated with sedation dentistry. Some people become groggy enough from moderate oral sedation to actually fall asleep during the procedure.

Through vein. You may also receive the sedative drug through a vein, so it goes to work more quickly. This method allows the dentist to continually adjust the level of sedation.

Inhaled minimal sedation. You breathe nitrous oxide -- otherwise known as "laughing gas" -- combined with oxygen through a mask that's placed over your nose. The gas helps you relax. Your dentist can control the amount of sedation you receive, and the gas tends to wear off quickly.

Deep sedation and general anesthesia are used only in hospital settings with patients with very severe general conditions and possible disabilities.