What's wise regarding Wisdom Teeth?
“with summertime approaching, now is a great time to plan to get those wisdom teeth out”
It’s estimated that 15% of the population avoids dental care due to acute anxiety and as much as 50% of the population admits to some level of fear and apprehension when it comes to dental treatment.
Here at Angus Square Dental in Kennewick, our team will provide the most comfortable and positive experience possible for your treatment. We also understand all of the questions and concerns that you might be thinking about while considering when or where to have your wisdom teeth removed. Dr. Sam Harker and our staff have mastered the ability to gently remove your wisdom teeth and quickly get you onto the road of healing.
At Angus Square Dental, we understand and recognize that patient comfort means everything, we offer a wide variety of Anesthetic options for all dental treatments to help achieve patient comfort and lowered anxiety; Oral Sedation, Nitrous, and what is very unique to our office; we offer Moderate IV Sedation. Moderate IV sedation is a very popular choice by patients, especially when concerning wisdom teeth removal as it decreases anxiety levels and perception of pain is greatly reduced, you should become very relaxed and comfortable throughout the process. Call and ask to speak to Dr. Sam Harker today for a consultation.
How Is Moderate IV Sedation Different From General Anesthesia?
Being “completely out” is how general anesthesia is referred to. It differs from Moderate IV sedation in many ways. Firstly, with general anesthesia you are unconscious and your reflexes are diminished considerably, to the point where you must be aided in breathing through a tube placed down your windpipe. Secondly, the drugs used are very potent and may have undesirable side effects during and after the procedure. Complications tend to increase the longer you are asleep, and you may wind up very nauseous afterwards. This means increased risk, expense, and considerably more specialized personnel to monitor you during and after the procedure, with additional time to recover after the anesthesia wears off.
Who Is Moderate IV Sedation For?
Any reasonably healthy person can have moderate sedation with ANY dental procedure, whether it is having your teeth cleaned or surgery.
How Will I Feel Afterwards?
Being that you are awake, you will remember very little and generally feel no discomfort. For example, most people do not recall or feel any part of the procedure, including numbing the teeth. When your appointment is over, the effects of the sedatives may last for several hours and you may be groggy most of the day of your appointment.
How Is It Moderate IV Sedation Done?
The sedatives are usually administered intravenously. This way your dentist can be sure you receive the right amount of sedation. Sometimes, oral pre-medication is given to help relax you before your appointment. Because you may feel groggy and disoriented, you will need to have someone available to take you home from the office on the day of your appointment. We cannot sedate patients if they do not have a responsible adult available to accompany them after their appointment.
Is Moderate IV Sedation Safe?
Yes, but it is very important that you let us know about any and all medications and/or drugs you are taking (including alcohol, amphetamines, heroin, cocaine, opium, demoral, percodan, hydrocodone, oxycodone, oxycontin, percocet, pain relief patches) and any medical problems that you may have had so that the sedation procedure can be altered to reflect your special needs.
There can be serious side effects if we are not informed of all your medications/drugs and medical conditions. For some, a consultation with your physician will be helpful in preventing unanticipated problems. Failure to inform us of these issues will put you at risk and may result in an emergency situation.