Laughing Gas for Bone Graft Procedures

If you need a bone graft, is laughing gas the best anesthesia option for you?

For bone grafting and other oral surgery procedures, you have several dental anesthesia options, and the choice is typically yours to make, based on the recommendation of your oral surgeon.

Many patients here at Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery of Utah prefer laughing gas, otherwise known as nitrous oxide. Could this be the right anesthesia for your bone graft procedure? You’ll have to consult with the oral surgeon to make the final determination.

Advantages of Laughing Gas

Laughing gas is a quick and easy dental anesthesia to administer. For sedation, you simply slip on a breathing mask and inhale. Nitrous oxide has no taste or odor, so the experience isn’t unpleasant.

Once inhaled, nitrous oxide erases fear and anxiety, replacing it with a general feeling of well-being. You’ll feel relaxed and comfortable during the bone graft procedure, as the gas alters your perception of time and pain. The effects are mild and the anesthesia wears off when the breathing mask is removed.

Disadvantages of Laughing Gas

As the name suggests, laughing gas might make you laugh. In fact, some patients get a case of the giggles under this form of dental anesthesia. The laughter won’t bother your oral surgeon, but there’s a possibility you could find it a bit embarrassing.

In addition, some patients find the breathing mask used to administer nitrous oxide uncomfortable. The gas mixture can also bring on a hallucinatory dream state. And there’s a slight chance that nitrous oxide could make you feel dizzy or nauseous, but this will dissipate when the anesthesia dosage is adjusted.

Choosing the Right Anesthesia for Your Bone Graft Procedure

Before you come in for your bone graft, your oral surgeon will help you decide on the right type of anesthesia to provide you with a comfortable, pain-free experience.

If you want a mild dental anesthesia but you feel uneasy about using nitrous oxide, oral sedation can be a good option. Taken in pill form, this type of dental anesthesia will make you feel drowsy, relaxed and anxiety-free, but you’ll still be conscious and able to respond during the bone graft procedure.

On the other hand, if you’d rather be fully unaware that the bone graft is taking place, you may want to choose intravenous (IV) sedation. Also known as “twilight sleep,” IV anesthesia will make you feel as if you’re sleeping and you probably won’t remember the procedure once it wears off.

If laughing gas is your preferred method of dental anesthesia, your oral surgeon will make sure it is a safe option. After all, along with your comfort, safety is the primary concern and nitrous oxide isn’t suited for every patient.

When you’re ready to talk about anesthesia, make an appointment with Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery of Utah. Dr. Partridge or Dr. Maxfield are trained and certified to administer all forms of dental anesthesia, and our professional team is known for compassionate, expert care.

Contact our Cottonwood Heights, South Jordan or Tooele office today to learn more about your choices of anesthesia for a bone graft procedure.