Surgical Extraction and Anesthesia
Visiting a dentist and the possibility of undergoing any procedure that involves dental anesthesia causes fear in many people, which can make you putt off common treatments, such as a tooth extraction. At a dentist appointment, extraction may also be the most recommended alternative when there are conditions such as problems cleaning the region, tooth misalignment, a broken tooth, a severely diseased tooth, or the presence of cysts or tumors in the area.
In order to make surgical extraction more comfortable, we use anesthesia. In most cases of extraction, local anesthesia is used. With it, the nerve stimuli responsible for pain are blocked for a few hours and you can’t feel the procedure.
Contrary to what patients believe, the anesthetic substance can actually cause more pain than the needle puncture used in the delivery of the local anesthesia itself, as it stretches the muscles and has an acidic composition, capable of triggering a burning sensation before it takes effect. To better understand how dental anesthesia works and how it is performed when removing teeth, continue reading!
Surgical tooth extraction
A surgical tooth extraction is when your dentist must cut through gum or mouth tissue in order to remove the tooth. This could be due to the tooth being severely damaged through trauma or disease, or because they are impacted- which means they haven’t erupted through the gums yet and need to come out.
What types of dental anesthesia exist?
Dental local anesthesia promotes temporary loss of sensations and pain without reducing the patient's state of consciousness. Each case is evaluated individually, according to the problem presented by the patient and their clinical condition, analyzed by the dentist and are subdivided into:
- Topical anesthesia: this is applied in ointments or gels, have a short duration of action and are indicated in simpler procedures, such as removing baby teeth. We may use topical anesthesia before doing an injection of local anesthesia, to make the shot more comfortable for you.
- Injectable anesthesia: this is how we deliver local anesthesia. The effects of local anesthesia last two to three hours. Your dentist will so a small injection of the medicine around the area that they will extract the tooth, ensuring beforehand that you are completely numb.
- Sedation with nitrous oxide and intravenous sedation: this is where we use an inhalable gas that contains nitrous oxide, which does not eliminate pain, but is capable of relaxing you during the procedure. This will often be combined with local, injectable anesthesia.
Can dental anesthesia cause side effects?
The application of anesthesia can present some discomforts and side effects that vary according to each person’s physiology and body. The most common aide-effects are numbness that affects facial movements, swelling and bruises from the injection site, and in very rare cases, dizziness or allergic reactions. Be sure to tell us if you’ve had reactions to anesthesia before.
In Conclusion
During a surgical extraction, you will need anesthesia, which can be administered in a few different ways. Your comfort is of the utmost importance to us, so we will work with you to deliver the best experience possible for your surgical procedure. Contact us today to discuss our options for anesthesia and surgical tooth extractions!
What is the Difference Between Simple & Surgical Extraction?