Anesthesia

Your procedure will be performed in one of our state-of-the-art treatment suites, which are held to the highest standards.

Our oral surgeons and our team have been extensively trained to administer anesthesia and offers many anesthetic options to ensure that you are as comfortable and anxiety-free during your procedure as possible. These include:

Local Anesthesia – an anesthetic applied directly to the area of removal. Local anesthesia does not affect your brain or nervous system, so it is safe to drive home afterwards. However, it can take a few hours after your procedure to wear off, so it is important to be careful when eating and drinking. To avoid injury, do not consume anything very hot, and chew slowly and thoroughly, until the anesthesia wears off

Nitrous Oxide – also known as laughing gas is a safe, effective, and short-lived option for those who are anxious about a procedure. You will inhale a carefully controlled blend of nitrogen and oxygen through a mask over your nose. You may feel light-headed, tingly, heavy, and a bit silly, but you will remain awake and aware of your surroundings. The effects wear off in just a few moments after the mask is removed, allowing you to safely drive home.

IV Sedation/General Anesthesia – administered through an intravenous (IV) line and is sometimes referred to as “Twilight Sleep”. IV sedation helps you to be comfortable and calm when undergoing dental procedures; it will enable you to tolerate as well as not remember those procedures that may be very uncomfortable for you. IV sedation will essentially help alleviate the anxiety associated with your treatment.

If you’re scheduled to have this type of sedation, it is required that you arrange for someone to escort you to your appointment, remain with you in our office for the duration of your surgery, and drive you home. A period of 8 hours of fasting prior to the procedure is also required.

To administer IV Sedation/General Anesthesia in the office, an oral surgeon must have completed at least five months of hospital based anesthesia training. Qualified applicants will then undergo an in office evaluation by a state dental board appointed examiner. The examiner observes an actual surgical procedure during which general anesthesia is administered to the patient. The examiner also inspects all monitoring devices and emergency equipment and tests the doctor and the surgical staff on anesthesia related emergencies. If the examiner reports successful completion of the evaluation process, the state dental board will issue the doctor a license to perform general anesthesia. The license is renewable every two years if the doctor maintains the required amount of continuing education units related to anesthesia.

When it comes to anesthesia, our first priority is the patient’s comfort and safety. If you have any concerns regarding the type of anesthesia that will be administered during your oral surgery procedure, please do not hesitate to discuss your concerns with our surgeons at the time of your consultation.