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Oral Surgery Anesthesia: Should You Choose IV Sedation?

With the right oral surgery anesthesia, your procedure can be comfortable and pain-free. For many patients, intravenous (IV) sedation is the optimal choice.

 

Also referred to as twilight sleep, IV sedation doesn’t induce unconsciousness like general anesthesia. Instead, it works to make patients feel as if they slept through their procedure — and that’s usually enough for most people.

 

Is IV sedation the right type of oral surgery anesthesia for you? Understanding the advantages and learning about your other options can help you decide.

IV sedation oral surgery

Benefits of IV Sedation

 

Patients prefer IV sedation for several reasons. The advantages of this form of anesthesia include:

 

  • Works within minutes
  • Helps with severe anxiety and fear
  • Diminishes the gag reflex
  • Quick anesthesia recovery time
  • Low chance of complications

 

Under this anesthesia, you remain conscious — which means you can respond to your oral surgeon’s instructions. However, you probably won’t remember it, as twilight sleep sedation commonly comes with the short-term side effect of amnesia.

 

Other Oral Surgery Anesthesia Options

 

Oral surgeons offer a range of anesthesia options. Depending upon the particulars of your procedure, your surgeon may suggest:

 

  • Local anesthetic — numbing medication injected into the gums near the surgical site
  • Oral sedation — a tablet taken before a procedure to ease anxiety and induce drowsiness
  • Laughing gas — an inhaled sedative that allows patients to feel calm, relaxed and worry-free
  • General anesthesia — the highest level of sedation offered, appropriate for complex procedures

 

 Is IV Sedation Right for Your Oral Surgery Procedure?

 

If you’d prefer to be knocked out, but your procedure isn’t extensive enough to require general anesthesia, twilight sleep sedation could be the ideal solution. But it’s important to note that this method isn’t recommended for every patient.

 

Your comfort is crucial, but safety is the primary concern. Intravenous sedation can be risky for anyone with a chronic health disorder or an immune system condition. Certain drugs can also interact with the medications used. To determine whether this form of anesthesia is appropriate for your procedure, you’ll need to discuss the matter with your oral surgeon.

 

When you visit Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery of Utah for treatment, our professional team will go over your anesthesia options and help you decide how to proceed.

 

The board-certified oral surgeons at Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery of Utah, Dr. Partridge and Dr. Maxfield, have the training and qualifications to safely and effectively administer all forms of anesthesia. In our hands, you can count on having a positive, comfortable and pain-free experience.

 

For expert answers and advice on IV sedation, contact our Cottonwood Heights, South Jordan or Tooele office and schedule a consultation to discuss oral surgery and anesthesia options today.

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