Oral surgery can help take on complex oral health concerns, such as repairing facial trauma, replacing missing teeth with dental implants, and even conducting jaw surgery. We want your visit to be a positive one, even if you have dental anxiety. In today’s blog, your Santa Rosa, CA, oral surgeons talk about anesthesia and sedation.
When You Need Options Like Sedation
We want your treatment experience to be a comfortable one. Which is why when patients are undergoing more extensive oral surgeries, such as jaw surgery or dental implant placement, we offer sedation and anesthesia to help ensure their comfort. In addition, this can help people with special needs or an overactive gag reflex receiving care with comfort. We can also help those with serious dental anxiety. We won’t minimize your fears, we instead want to find a calming agent so you can receive the care you need to enjoy your best smile.
Selecting Which Calming Solution is For You
Out of all our options, how do we choose the right option for you? We will take a number of different factors into account, such as age, weight, medical history, anxiety levels, and medications you are currently taking.
Sedation and Anesthesia
To numb an area directly, we could apply a local anesthetic. If you need a calming agent, the most common option is a mild form known as nitrous oxide, or laughing gas. We administer this in a gas form through a mask over your nose. You breathe it in and enter a deep state of calm. You will be conscious and able to respond to the dentist as needed, but will have little memory of the experience. We can adjust levels during your procedure and the effects wear off when the treatment ends. You could even drive yourself home or return to work or school.
For people who need a deep state of calm, we can offer oral sedation. This is given in a pill or liquid form prior to the procedure, and we could even combine it with nitrous oxide as needed. You will still be conscious, but will have no memory of the procedure. The effects take time to wear off, so be sure someone is on hand to take you home. The deepest form of calming is IV sedation, which puts you in a sleep-like state, again with no memory of the procedure. Just be sure you have someone available to bring you home, as again the effects take time to wear off.
Do You Have Questions About Ensuring Your Oral Surgery Is Comfortable?
We want to help you feel comfortable and enjoy a positive experience in our office. When you have an oral surgery on the horizon, then feel free to contact Santa Rosa Oral Surgery in Santa Rosa, CA by calling (707) 545-4625 to learn more about our calming medications.
