Anesthesia blocks pain and dental sedation blocks anxiety. Local anesthesia is used in all oral surgeries, while dental sedation is only used when the dentist believes that the patient needs extra help to relax. When you hear the word anesthesia, you probably think of general anesthesia, which is used for major surgeries where the patient needs to be unconscious in order to operate. However, most dentists use local anesthesia, which only numbs a small area to prevent pain.
For dental treatments, it can be used to prevent pain in a certain area of the mouth that requires attention. Before applying the anesthesia, your doctor or dentist will ask you what you have eaten or taken in the past 24 hours to ensure that your body has no anticoagulants. A topical anesthetic may be applied before local anesthesia is injected to numb the tissues in the mouth. This involves injecting an anesthetic medication (such as lidocaine) into the tissues surrounding the incision.
This anesthesia will almost always be used regardless of whether intravenous medications will be added. This is because it will help reduce any discomfort during the procedure. Local anesthesia alone is usually used for small incisions, scar revisions, or earlobe repairs, for example. It will also be used for procedures that include a facelift or rhinoplasty, in addition to intravenous sedation (twilight sleep) or general anesthesia.
Local anesthesia will be injected by Dr. DeRosa, and does not require the participation of an anesthesiologist when used alone. Also known as sleep medicine, sedation dentistry is an excellent option for longer dental procedures that require deeper sedation. Often, a sedative is combined with a local anesthetic for optimal patient comfort.
The dentist may use three types of sedation: intravenous sedation (IV), oral sedation (pill form), and inhaled minimal sedation (gas). Sedation dentistry requires additional training and a license to practice. For your safety, be sure to choose a dentist with a sedation certification. Intravenous Sedation Dentistry in Plantation, Florida takes into account the patient's pain tolerance when deciding which type of anesthetic to use.
Even with this in mind, having your wisdom teeth removed while you're awake shouldn't be painful. You will feel the injection and the sensation will be the same as any other injection. Generally speaking, you'll deal more with fear and anxiety than with real pain. You may feel some pressure and pinching, but minimal pain.
Your pain tolerance should not be a cause for concern, as your dentist will always use a local, if not general, anesthetic. You may need to consider your budget when looking for general or local anesthesia for wisdom tooth extraction. Having surgery will cost more than a local one, and your insurance may only cover local anesthesia. This is another area that you should discuss closely with your dentist before the procedure.
General anesthesia can increase the cost of extraction by up to 50%. Often times, the cases are simple enough that Dr. DeRosa can use a local injection close to the tooth itself. The dentist may recommend that your child receive anesthesia or sedation to relax and be able to complete some dental procedures safely.
Sedatives can be used for a variety of medical treatments, most of which are administered by inhalation or injection. If intravenous sedation is recommended, your dentist will provide you with all the details, such as how long you should wait for surgery and when to stop eating the night before the operation. Unless there is a dental procedure, such as wisdom tooth extraction, that requires intravenous sedation, most children receive an inhaled sedative during a routine dental visit, if needed. For the most part, the first step of the procedure is for the dentist to apply topical anesthesia to the gums.
In addition to controlling pain, sedation can ease anxiety and reduce the patient's movement during a procedure. If the person and the dentist feel that general anesthesia is better, the person will have the extraction done. Conscious sedation is commonly used for children during dental procedures because it allows them to relax and has few or no side effects. Because most dental procedures don't require much time and are outpatient procedures, local anesthesia is often used.
The least amount of sedation is always preferred to control the patient, as it can maintain their ability to respond to the dentist and at the same time reduce pain and anxiety. The advantage of intravenous sedation is that the dentist can adjust the level of sedation throughout the procedure. With IV sedation, you'll be in a semiconscious state and have little or no memory of the surgery itself. When you come to have your surgical procedure, you may need anesthesia so that it can be performed safely and with a minimum of discomfort.
