You are awake during tooth extraction. Although you'll feel some pressure and movement, you shouldn't feel pain. The dentist or oral surgeon will give you sedative anesthesia through an intravenous (IV) line in your arm. Sedation anesthesia is somewhere between laughing gas and general anesthesia.
You won't be fully awake, but you won't be fully asleep either. General anesthesia is the only true sleep dentistry option. Under general anesthesia, patients remain completely unconscious throughout the treatment process. This ensures total comfort and relaxation, even during the most advanced oral surgery.
For your safety, your vital signs will be closely monitored throughout your treatment, and if you are at greater risk of complications, we may recommend that you have the procedure performed in a hospital. You don't need to be put to sleep to have your wisdom teeth removed. The extraction of wisdom teeth can be performed while the patient is fully awake with a numb mouth under local anesthesia. Wisdom teeth are the molars (back teeth) that come out for the last time, usually in the late teens or early 20s.
There are usually four wisdom teeth, two in the upper jaw and two in the lower jaw, but some people have more, fewer, or even none. Before the general dentist or oral surgeon begins the extraction process, the anesthetic will be administered. While you are under local anesthesia, an injection is still given and the dentist will extract your teeth just as you would while you are awake, with the only difference that you are fast asleep without realizing what is happening. The oral medication method generally requires patients to take anti-anxiety pills, such as Valium, Halcion, or Ativan, to achieve conscious sedation.
All oral and maxillofacial surgeons are trained in all aspects of administering anesthesia, so patients have nothing to worry about. Being awake during the extraction of your wisdom teeth simply means that you will know that the dentist is working on you, but you won't feel any pain. Before starting your surgical treatment plan, your oral surgeon will discuss your options, explain the benefits and potential drawbacks, and help you find the best sedative option. Bobst at Boise oral surgery will recommend the best method for your particular case during your initial evaluation.
You can also use conscious oral or intravenous sedatives to achieve a deeper level of relaxation without being completely unconscious during treatments. If you need to sleep fully during the procedure, oral surgeons can usually help. The outpatient procedure is performed under local or general anesthesia by a general dentist or oral surgeon, depending on the complexity of the surgery. If you decide to have oral surgery to have your wisdom teeth removed, you'll likely have a lot of questions.
To ensure maximum comfort and safety during these advanced surgical procedures, most oral surgeons offer a wide range of dental sedative options, from the mildest nitrous oxide to general anesthesia. For patients who want to improve their comfort during oral surgery, but who don't necessarily need full anesthesia, there are other, milder forms of sedation.
