While sedation isn’t necessary for some procedures, it’s often a good idea for patients who are suffering with dental anxiety or who are undergoing surgery. General anesthesia is designed for patients who need the highest level of sedation. It’s often used in procedures like smile makeovers or full mouth reconstruction. Our experienced anesthesiologist will give you the anesthesia before you undergo treatment. They will also be there to ensure everything goes smoothly throughout the procedure.
If you choose to undergo general sedation, you will be unconscious throughout your treatment and will likely not remember the details of the procedure. You will not have to worry about experiencing pain or discomfort and will likely not be responsive until the sedation wears off.
We usually only suggest general sedation if you’re undergoing a treatment that requires a large amount of work, or if you’re undergoing multiple treatments in the same day. In these situations, the general sedation works both to ensure your comfort and help us treat you as efficiently as possible.
While IV sedation suppresses pain and discomfort, it does not render you unconscious. You will be able to follow directions as needed. This is different from general sedation, which does render you unconscious.
If you are uncertain which form of sedation you need, we will be happy to discuss both options with you. We typically cover sedation during your consultation.
General sedation is ideal for situations where we need to perform multiple treatments in a single visit. You don’t have to worry about feeling pain while we provide the care you need.
At the same time, it does come with risks. While it’s rare for patients to experience serious side effects, it is possible to experience changing blood pressure, pneumonia, an allergic reaction, or even a heart attack.
The risk is greatly reduced for healthy patients, which we’ll take into consideration during your initial consultation. That said, even healthy individuals may feel nauseous in the aftermath of general sedation. Even vomiting is not a cause for concern, provided that the symptoms go away quickly.
Please don’t hesitate to contact us. Our office is committed to helping patients get the care they need, and we don’t want dental anxiety to get in the way of that.
General sedation is designed for major procedures. If you’re undergoing a minor procedure, you may be a better candidate for IV sedation.