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Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Sedation Options

If you’re scheduled for oral or maxillofacial surgery, you’re probably feeling at least a little anxious — who wouldn’t be? Understanding your sedation options is one way to help ease your worries.
oral or maxillofacial surgery
Sedation makes use of mild medication to help you stay relaxed, calm and comfortable. At Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery of Utah, every patient who comes in for a surgical procedure is offered sedation to help ensure a positive, pain-free oral surgery experience.

Mild Sedation for Comfort and Relaxation

If you have a slight case of the nerves, a mild sedative — along with local anesthetic, of course — could be enough to help you relax and remain pain-free.

Oral sedation is another option. A prescription pill, taken shortly before your procedure, can bring on feelings of drowsiness while at the same time melting away your anxieties. You’ll be conscious, but relaxed and comfortable.

Laughing gas, or nitrous oxide, is another mild form of sedation to consider. Inhaling the gas mixture takes away your worries and induces a sense of calmness. You’ll be alert enough to respond, but you won’t feel any pain.

Stronger Sedation to Put You to Sleep

Would you rather be asleep during your oral surgery? If you have serious anxiety issues, a stronger form of sedation may be your best bet.

Intravenous (IV) sedation, also known as “twilight sleep” won’t make you unconscious, but you’ll feel as if you’ve slept through the entire procedure. Once the sedative hits your bloodstream, you’ll be unaware of what’s going on.

General anesthesia can render you unconscious, but this sedation option is usually only considered for complex oral and maxillofacial surgeries. When general anesthesia is used, procedures must be completed at a hospital or surgery center — not the oral surgeon’s office.

Which Type of Sedation Is Right for You?

When you come in for an oral surgery consultation, we will go over your sedation options with you.

In most cases, patients can choose their preferred method of sedation. However, safety is our primary concern, and if you suffer from any chronic health conditions or have a weakened immune system, you might not be able to have IV sedation or general anesthesia.

Rest assured, our oral surgeons will help you determine the best approach to giving you a comfortable, pain-free experience. But before you decide on the right oral surgery sedation, you may need to consider cost. Your insurance plan may not cover every option, and fees for the different forms of sedation vary.

Don’t let your anxieties stop you from getting the treatment you need. For compassionate, friendly care — and an easy, pain-free experience — visit us here at Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery of Utah.

Our oral surgery team, led by Dr. Partridge and Dr. Maxfield, has the training, skill and expertise to provide safe and effective sedation. We understand your anxiety, and we’ll do whatever we can to ensure your comfort. Contact our Cottonwood Heights, South Jordan or Tooele office today to schedule a consultation to discuss your options for oral and maxillofacial surgery sedation.

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