Visiting the dentist rarely brings joyful emotions. Many modern dentistry clinics offer dental treatment or tooth extraction using general anesthesia (general anesthesia). What should you consider when considering this dental care option?
Fear of dentists is inherent in every patient, but in some cases the situation becomes uncontrollable and it is simply impossible to remove or treat a tooth in the usual way.
Dental treatment during sleep allows you to effectively carry out most manipulations in the mouth. But it is important to remember the existing limitations, taking into account not only the positive, but also the negative aspects of such therapy.
So is it possible to treat teeth under general anesthesia, using different types of general anesthesia?
Under general anesthesia, a type of anesthesia is offered that helps to completely eliminate the patient’s sensitivity and activity and put him into a medicated sleep.
However, most dentists prefer to carry out sedative therapy before local anesthesia, since it does not require complete exclusion of consciousness, and the patient can respond to the doctor’s voice, calmly perceive manipulations, remain in a relaxed state, while the fear of the appointment has already been eliminated.
The superficial effect of local analgesia eliminates sensation in the oral cavity, but does not allow the patient to relax physically and mentally. If necessary, the situation can be improved by combining sedatives, plunging the patient into a superficial sleeping state; if necessary, the patient can easily emerge from this state.
What types of pain relief are used during tooth extraction?
A classic example of an archaic tooth extraction without any anesthesia is an episode from Chekhov’s story “Surgery.” In modern dentistry, such outright torture does not happen, and tooth extraction without anesthesia is not carried out under any circumstances. If it is necessary to remove 1 - 2 teeth in one visit, the operation is carried out mainly under local anesthesia. However, there are indications for tooth extraction under general anesthesia.
In medicine, the term “general anesthesia” means a state of inhibition of the central nervous system with a temporary immersion of the patient into sleep of varying degrees of depth and loss of pain sensitivity. This reaction of the body is artificially induced using safe anesthetic medications, and it lasts from 30 minutes to 3 hours, depending on the required volume of surgical intervention. For example, removing 4 wisdom teeth under general anesthesia will require a significant amount of time.
Indications for removal
Healthy, well-positioned third molars with good oral access for possible treatment do not need to be extracted. There are clear indications for such an operation, and if they exist, it should be removed without waiting for complications:
- Deep caries of the wisdom tooth, as well as lack of normal access for full treatment.
- Chronic inflammatory processes caused by third molars, including in cases where the wisdom tooth caused inflammation of the gums.
- Chronic injuries to the oral mucosa due to incorrectly positioned “figure eight”.
- Impacted or dystopic teeth.
- The need for orthodontic treatment of bite defects if the doctor believes that the “eights” will prevent the dentition from occupying the correct position.
In all of these situations, it is recommended to remove the “eights” without delay.
Advantages of tooth extraction under general anesthesia
- Anesthesia slows down the body's reactions, due to which the pain is completely relieved. Therefore, all the dentist’s procedures for removing teeth will be completely painless for you.
- Many sensitive patients put off visiting a surgeon until dangerous complications develop simply because they are afraid of the mere sight of surgical instruments. If teeth are removed under general anesthesia, you will not see how the process will occur, but will only wake up when it is over.
- Even for a psychologically stable person, tooth extraction is a stressful situation that negatively affects the body. For example, patients often experience increased blood pressure during this procedure. However, if the operation is performed under general anesthesia, your nerves will not be damaged.
- While the anesthesia is in effect, the dentist will remove the necessary teeth and perform the necessary manipulations, which could take several visits. He will perform all actions carefully and efficiently, which will reduce the risk of complications.
Interesting fact!
According to data from various media sources, at least 2% of adults and 6 - 8% of children, for various reasons, do not have the opportunity to undergo routine tooth extraction using local anesthesia.
Possible complications after removal
Complications after surgery arise due to violations of doctors’ recommendations. Patients begin to rinse their mouth, go to the bathhouse, play sports, or do not take medications that were prescribed. It is absolutely IMPOSSIBLE to do this for 5 days, because the place where the tooth was located is easily inflamed. Pain after removal is normal. Because the anesthesia wears off and the gums heal. Taking painkillers reduces pain.
Without taking antibiotics, inflammation and suppuration may begin. This situation arises due to the fact that food often accumulates at the end of the gums, which is difficult to remove with a brush, and along with it remain microbes that cause suppuration.
If bleeding occurs after removal, you should press the wound with a cotton pad for 15 minutes. If the bleeding does not stop, you should consult a doctor.
For reference! For high-quality and rapid healing, it is necessary that the wound heals well, so you should not eat hard food for at least 5 days and clean the hole.
Types of anesthesia for tooth extraction and methods of its behavior
Based on the depth of anesthesia, anesthesia is divided into the following types:
- surface;
- easy;
- full;
- super deep.
For dental treatment under anesthesia, only superficial and light anesthesia is used in dentistry. While the last two types are used for complex operations, for example, for maxillofacial injuries.
Anesthesia is carried out in two main ways:
- inhalation - you inhale sprayed particles of the drug through a special mask;
- intravenously - using a regular injection.
High-quality anesthetic drugs promote restful drug-induced sleep and recovery from it without any complications. Modern anesthetic medications are highly safe and suitable even for patients with allergies. They do not cause side effects or addiction and are easily eliminated from the body.
Indications and contraindications
The use of anesthesia in each specific case must have serious medical reasons, so it is used infrequently. In addition, the cost of tooth extraction under general anesthesia is quite high. If you are simply afraid of surgery, but you only need to remove one front tooth, then in this case it is advisable to use light sedatives and carry out tooth extraction under local anesthesia. If the surgeon’s task is much more complex and the volume of work is large, then general anesthesia is appropriate.
Indications
The following main indications exist for the use of general anesthesia during tooth extraction:
- allergy to local anesthetics;
- panic fear of treatment;
- increased blood pressure (hypertension) due to stress;
- a gag reflex in the patient, which prevents the doctor from performing the operation;
- large volume of manipulations;
- inability of a patient with disabilities to sit in the dental chair.
Contraindications
Speaking about contraindications to tooth extraction under general anesthesia, you should be guided by the list of factors presented below that may cause refusal of this procedure:
- exacerbation of chronic pathologies;
- diabetes mellitus in the stage of decompensation;
- acute heart failure;
- period up to six months after myocardial infarction;
- heart defects;
- infectious diseases;
- anemia;
- epilepsy;
- pathologies of the respiratory system.
When is tooth extraction required under anesthesia?
Complex tooth root removal
The lateral (chewing) teeth have a complex root system. Sometimes it takes quite a long time to extract them. Removing a tooth root under anesthesia allows the surgeon to carry out a large amount of work during one patient visit.
Removal of impacted wisdom tooth
One of the most difficult operations is the removal of a wisdom tooth under general anesthesia. The roots of “eights” are often irregular, intertwined with each other, and go under the adjacent tooth. Resection of unerupted (impacted) wisdom teeth is especially difficult. They have to be removed for a long time and carefully through incisions in the gums. That is why 8 teeth are removed under general anesthesia.
Removal of several molars
When it is necessary to remove several molars during one visit to the dentist, it is also advisable to use general anesthesia. Often, the doctor performs additional manipulations of gum plastic surgery with bone grafting if subsequent installation of implants is planned.
Why do children have their wisdom teeth removed?
The eighth molars, especially those located in the lower row, are quite often pathological, and already at the rudimentary stage they may have growth and development disorders.
Extraction of wisdom teeth in children occurs according to the indications of an orthodontist, who identifies pathologies of the figure eight. The most common deviations of the rudiments of wisdom teeth in children and adolescents are considered to be: the location of the molar outside the dentition, horizontal or inclined growth position. Even before teething, the child may already experience disturbances in the form of displacement of the dentition or adjacent teeth. If a tooth has erupted, indications for its removal may include caries, pulpitis/periodontitis, pinched nerve (trigeminal), root cyst, pathological branching of the root system.
The main indication for extraction of eighth molars is the upcoming treatment of malocclusion due to misaligned teeth or a narrow jaw. A wisdom tooth may have a concomitant pathological effect, or the orthodontist recommends extraction as a preventive measure for repeated malocclusion when deviations in the formation of the rudiment are detected.
Stages of tooth extraction under general anesthesia
Preparation
Questions about the choice of anesthetic and the method of its administration are resolved individually for each patient. To do this, the anesthesiologist will collect an anamnesis, inquire about the patient’s chronic diseases and refer him to diagnostic procedures (usually a blood test and an ECG). It is also necessary to consult with a neurologist, therapist and otolaryngologist in order to identify contraindications to the use of general anesthesia.
Operation
Literally one minute after the administration of the anesthetic by inhalation or intravenous route, the patient feels drowsy and gradually falls asleep. Within five minutes, his breathing stabilizes and his muscles relax. During a tooth extraction operation under general anesthesia, a qualified anesthesiologist is constantly with the patient, monitoring his vital signs: pulse, blood pressure, body temperature, skin tone, blood circulation and ventilation.
Coming out of anesthesia
The doctor calculates the dose of the anesthetic so that its effect ends 10 - 20 minutes after completion of all manipulations. The patient gradually wakes up, and after 60 - 90 minutes his state of health is completely stabilized. After this, he can go home, but for this he will need an accompanying person. In addition, after tooth extraction under general anesthesia, you should never drive!
When preparing for tooth extraction under anesthesia, be sure to inform your doctor about all medications you are currently taking. Six hours before surgery you should stop eating and stop smoking. Stop drinking any drinks, including plain water, at least four hours before surgery.
Anesthesia – benefit or harm?
The possibilities of modern medicine are incredibly great. Our clinic uses very high-quality drugs that can relieve the patient from painful sensations during surgical procedures, and at the same time are completely safe for health. Already 30-40 minutes after the end of the manipulations, the person can go home. Nowadays, you don’t have to endure severe pain during dental procedures. Qualified doctors know how to create maximum comfort for each patient. We have done everything to ensure that if it is necessary to remove a tooth, there will be no fear or worry. For patients who needed tooth extraction, the price in Dolgoprudny will be another reassuring factor. This or that type of anesthesia is immediately included in the price.
