You have been referred to this office because of the challenging nature of treatment requested by your dentist. Your anesthesia needs are determined by your medical condition(s) as well as the type of operation you will have. Our surgeons employ a variety of anesthetic modalities to make your experience as comfortable and safe as possible. These include:

Intravenous sedative agents are administered which provide relaxation and pain control. This involves the full monitoring of vital signs, breathing rate, blood pressure and the use of an electrocardiogram. It should be noted that in very anxious individuals, this form of anesthesia can be ineffective. It is important to understand that this technique does not fully diminish one’s awareness of the procedure.

This is the most common form of anesthesia administered in our office. It is extremely safe and effective. Likewise the recovery from general anesthetic is quite fast and very similar as the the recovery associated with intravenous sedation. This technique allows us to completely eliminate an individual’s awareness of the procedure. General anesthesia also reduces the risk of any involuntary movement by the individual during surgery.

Local anesthetic can be an effective method for eliminating pain associated with removal of a tooth. Our experience is that this form of anesthesia may provide limited options for the patient based on the surgical procedure necessary. Local anesthesia does not diminish an individual’s awareness of pressure, vibration and/or noise associated with tooth removal or related surgeries. Likewise, if an individual has a badly infected tooth, frequently, local anesthetic will be ineffective in eliminating discomfort as well. Often times, individuals will have a variety of medical problems which prohibit the use of local anesthesia alone.

This depends mostly on the nature of the surgery and is best answered by your surgeon.

Your anesthetic team is personally responsible for your comfort and well being. Blood pressure, pulse rate, EKG, oxygen, and CO2 levels are some of the important vital signs that are monitored during your surgery.

Our office has the necessary emergency drugs, equipment and procedures in place to care for you in the rare event of a serious complication. Anesthesiologists have the specialized medical training to anticipate and treat complications. Our nurses and doctors have current advanced cardiac life support training (ACLS), pediatric advanced life support (PALS) as well as attendance in frequent mock emergency drills. We also have training in difficult airway management. In rare instances, serious complications may require that you are transferred to a local hospital.

According to guidelines established by the College of Physicians and Surgeons, all phases of anesthesia, including recovery, should be supervised. Your anesthesiologist, as well as our experienced nurses, will monitor your needs for your safe recovery. You may be given extra oxygen and your breathing and heart functions will be observed closely. You will not be discharged home until you are fit to go, usually within one hour after surgery.

• The amount of discomfort you experience will depend on a number of factors, especially the type of surgery. Your doctors and nurses can relieve pain after your surgery with medicines given by mouth, injection or by numbing the area around the incision. Your discomfort should be tolerable, but do not expect to be totally pain-free.
  
  
• Nausea or vomiting may be related to anesthesia, the type of surgical procedure or postoperative pain medications. Although less of a problem today because of improved anesthetic agents and techniques, these side effects continue to occur for some patients.
  
  
• Medications to minimize postoperative pain, nausea and vomiting are often given by your anesthesiologist during the surgical procedure and in recovery. You may experience a sore throat and/or nose bleed, which usually resolve quickly.