Sometimes we meet a patient who does not want to meet us, and believe us; we understand your trepidation completely. Dentophobia is a very real and debilitating fear of going to the dentist, and it can keep many patients out of our office — whether or not they need urgent dental care. We here at Henderson Oral Surgery & Dental Implants know that coming to see us may not be the highlight of your day, which is why we offer many different types of anesthesia to not only prevent you from experiencing any discomfort but also help you feel calm and at ease during your next oral surgery appointment with us.
What Kinds of Dental Anesthesia Do We Offer?
The goals of dental anesthesia are twofold: first, we want to make sure you do not experience any discomfort during any oral surgery procedures when you come to see us. Secondly, we want to make sure you feel safe and calm during your appointment, and sometimes anesthesia can help make that possible. We offer several different types of anesthesia when we provide your treatment, and depending on your needs; we may use more than one at a time.
Local Anesthesia:
One type of oral surgery anesthesia that we offer our patients here at our office is called local anesthesia. This type of anesthesia helps numb your mouth by quieting down your nerves. We will inject this anesthesia directly into the site where we are going to work. If you are worried about feeling the pressure from our needle, we can also pre-emptively numb the site with a gel to prevent you from feeling it. The most common type of local anesthesia that we provide is called lidocaine. This anesthesia is great for when we are going to proceed with a more intensive type of procedure such as deep cleaning, a filling, or a root canal.
Nitrous Oxide:
Another type of in-office oral surgery anesthesia that we may offer you is called nitrous oxide, which is also known as laughing gas. This is an inhaled type of anesthesia. With this type of anesthesia, you will stay awake, but you will feel happy and even euphoric. You will feel alert and can respond to us if we talk to you or ask you anything. We will often use it alongside with local anesthesia because while it is not necessarily analgesic, it will help you feel peaceful during your procedure. It is quite safe, and once we remove the mask, you will immediately start to feel the effects wear off. You will feel normal soon after.
Intravenous (IV) Sedation:
Lastly, we often do provide our patients with intravenous (IV) sedation. This is more intense than local or inhaled anesthesia, but you will still be awake and able to respond to us. You may have a little bit of amnesia about your procedure afterward, though, and queasiness is sometimes reported as a side effect. You will be groggy afterward and will not be able to drive yourself home or operate any heavy machinery after your procedure. It will require time off from school or work, but it is a great option for people who are particularly nervous about getting a procedure done with us.
Want to Learn More?
We want you to feel happy, calm, and at ease with us when you schedule an appointment at our office. To learn more about the in-office oral surgery anesthesia options that we offer, or to set up an appointment with us here at Henderson Oral Surgery & Dental Implants Center, please give us a call today at (702)270-2999!
