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ORAL SURGERY & PERIODONTICS BLOG

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IV Sedation Can Improve Oral Surgery

Your comfort is as much a priority as your oral health when you come to North Shore Smile Surgery.

We offer a number of services from teeth extraction to implant placement and bone grafts, and we can perform all of them with the assistance of dental sedation.

This makes these procedures more comfortable for you and allows our dental professionals to complete your procedure efficiently and effectively.

HOW SEDATION HELPS OUR PATIENTS

Dental anxiety is a real concern for many people when they are visiting their family dentist for a routine examination. That anxiousness can rise when someone finds out that they need oral surgery. That’s understandable.

Even people who are comfortable going to the dentist can become nervous about oral surgery. This isn’t the only reason we used dental sedation, but it is a factor.

We offer a range of sedation options at our practice, and the highest levels are general anesthesia and IV sedation.

When you receive any kind of sedation, but especially the two kinds mentioned above, you will be able to remain relaxed throughout your procedure.

At the same time, the sedation has an amnesiac effect, so you are unlikely to remember any of what has happened during your surgical procedure.

IV sedation and general anesthesia are strong forms of dental sedation, yet they take effect more quickly than oral sedation (which involves taking a pill before your procedure).

The recovery is not immediate, but it is often shorter than what you would need after receiving oral sedation. This is because of the greater control that is possible with IV sedation and general anesthesia.

We don’t want to forget the other big benefit of sedation: You won’t feel any pain during your surgical procedure. With any surgery, you may feel some soreness as you recover, but you shouldn’t feel anything during the procedure itself.

Group of surgeons operating on a patient-1

HOW IV SEDATION DIFFERS FROM GENERAL ANESTHESIA 

Both forms of sedation are administered through an IV. Both require training and certification, and both are extremely effective.

So what sets them apart?

One of the differences is that IV sedation keeps you in a “twilight” state. This means you are not completely asleep, even though you won’t remember the procedure itself.

In this state, you are able to respond to requests from Dr. Frank. This is usually something simple like asking you to turn your head in a particular direction or asking you to open or close your mouth as needed. This can make it easier to reach the parts of your mouth that are being treated.

IV sedation is strong but the dosage can be carefully controlled and adjusted during the procedure as necessary. It’s also a good option for patients who may not be good candidates for general anesthesia.

When you undergo general anesthesia, you will be completely relaxed, and you will not feel any pain. However, you will not be able to respond to the dentist.

General anesthesia puts you to sleep rather than leaving you in a twilight state. You still won’t remember anything that happens, but you won’t be able to turn your head upon request.

Elderly female patient smiling up at nurse and doctor from hospital bed

SEDATION IMPROVES DENTAL CARE

We want our patients to receive the best treatment possible.

By providing sedation options, our dental team is able to work effectively on your behalf. When you remain relaxed and comfortable, it’s easier for us to do what we need to do. That’s true whether we are removing wisdom teeth, placing a series of dental implants, or completing a bone graft procedure.

With sedation, we are able to complete your procedure more efficiently and with minimal distractions.

The end result is a better service for you and treatments that are more effective at addressing your oral health issues.

While we have focused on IV sedation and general anesthesia, we also offer nitrous oxide (laughing gas) and oral sedation (taken by pill) for less complicated procedures. These too can be effective at preventing pain and allowing patients to relax.


The team at North Shore Smile Surgery knows that this may be a new subject for many people. We also understand that you may have questions and concerns if you or someone you care about is preparing for oral surgery.

If you have questions, please call 847-276-2500 or request a consultation at our oral surgeon's office in Buffalo Grove, IL. This is a great opportunity to ask any questions you may have about our sedation options or the procedure itself!

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