general and/or local anesthesia for wisdom teeth extraction?

My surgeon used local with laughing gas because I didn't want to be knocked all the way out. If you do it that way, you can eat a little bit of food before our surgery too. All in all, I got 12 shots in my mouth, (two injections in all four sides, two under the tongue, and two in the roof of my mouth) but the laughing gas made me really not care about all that. Anyway, you can ask your surgeon which they think would be better for your personal case.

Just remember afterward: Don't drink anything through a straw. It can cause dry sockets, which is some of the worst pain ever.

Local Anesthesia For Tooth Extraction

All I had was a bunch of shots of lidocaine (similar to novocaine). They numbed the area with a topical gel before the injections. I was awake for the procedure and I felt no pain. In all honesty, the shots don't feel so great. It's a slightly painful pinching feeling. I just kept my eyes closed. The shot was the only pain I felt the whole time. As a kid, I had 4 molars pulled and they knocked me out completely.

I went to a dental college for my wisdom tooth extraction. They did not offer general anesthesia. My old dentist (a private practice) did. It depends on where you go and what you're willing to pay for.

I would go with local anesthesia, that's what I had when I had my upper left wisdom tooth removed and I was scared when they said local anesthesia because I was worried that I was going to be able to feel them pulling my wisdom tooth, but actually local anesthesia helps you relax more than general anesthesia:) It's your choice though, what ever you feel most comfortable with. Good Luck and I hope that I helped!!

You get both, but there is also IV sedation, laughing gas, or oral sedation as options to being completely knocked out.

General anesthesia requires a tube to be placed down your throat, hence this being the most risky of the choices you can have with wisdom teeth extraction. One step lower to general is IV sedation, which still puts you to sleep but can be done in the oral surgeon's office.

My cousin had to get his wisdom teeth out, and because he's autistic, he had to be put under general. He had to go to the hospital for his surgery.

You can always ask them to forego the local anesthesia if you'll be unconscious anyway, but I'd just ask them to knock me out first and then give me the shot. They use several types of drugs in the general anesthesia, and sometimes they'll use a local to limit bleeding and keep the pain to a minimum for afterwards.

They use both..Well for mine they did anyway..I woke up and my mouth and lips and tongue was all numb and my mouth was packed full of gauze and i had stitches all over..Mine were impacted and sideways though so it was more invasive that maybe why they used both..They did the shots after i was already out though..They gave me the IV first and that knocked me out and then they must of did the shots after..I felt like i was there for 2 min and i was done but my husband told me i was in there for at least 40 min..You wont feel or remember anything..i dont remember nothing but getting the IV and then going into a room when i was done that they put my husband in there with me and told him to leave me alone until i was ready to go since i was still disorineted and not sure where i was...I dont remember anything in between though...You'll be fine though..Afterwards its quite painful but as long as you have some vicadin or codeine you will be fine..Make sure you take the first one though before the anesthesia wears off completely or you'll def feel it..I didnt get a chance to do that since i went right to bed when i got home and i woke up in excruciating pain...

You better check with your oral surgeon about your options so you're not unpleasantly surprised on the day of surgery. Not all dentists offer all options. There is the conscious sedation, 'laughing gas' , and other options. Be aware that the less you have done to your body, the quicker you will recuperate. Some people are so out of it after being totally knocked out, or they have nausea, or can't take good care of themselves. When the person has just a local, it's much easier on the whole body. I understand you being afraid of the shots. Have you had intra-oral shots before? The dentist will numb up the gums before he gives the shots. You can also ask for what amounts to a tranquilizer before the shots to calm you down. But check with your surgeon before your appointment. Ask if you should eat before your appointment. I find people handle the surgery better, I mean they feel much better after, if they have had something light to eat, like toast or cereal. May I give you some tips for after surgery? Have cold packs ready and keep the cold packs (not ice!) on your cheeks (not back by your ears) for 2 days! No spitting or sucking from straws. Take your pain meds on a regular basis. Sleep propped up for a couple of days, either with pillows or in an easy chair. Arrange to take it easy at home. The gentler you are with yourself, the faster you will heal. Have some soft foods ready (instant mashed potatoes, scrambled eggs, puddings, ice cream). Have a little toothbrush ready, like a baby tooth brush (you may have trouble opening your mouth for a few days). The post surgery pain you may feel is weirdly enough not from the extraction sites, but from where you got your shot, and from the dentist

jacking you mouth wide open. After 2 days of cold packs, you can switch to warm packs to get your muscles back in order.

As always, ask your dentist and his assistant for lots of details. I find patients who are really well informed are less nervous and they recuperate better. It's good you're getting your wisdom teeth

out. You'll feel you were so brave once it's over! :)

I actually just had my four wisdom teeth removed just two days ago. I was sedated during my procedure and I highly recommend it. First, they put me on laughing gas, and then hooked me up to an IV. The complete surgury took 20 minutes. I was completely unconscious, and the nurses actually had to close my eyelids. When I woke up, I was laying in a different room and but not quite thinking straight. I was then able to walk to my car where someone drove me home. The doctor prescribed a generic form of Percocet for pain relief and Penicilin for prevention of infection.

either just local is used or if you want to be out of it then conscious sedation and local are used together.

if your dentist has told you that they'd use general anesthesia he is referring to conscious sedation. most dentists just find it easier to say general anesthesia instead of explaining what conscious sedation is. don't let the word "conscious" scare you. you will have no clue what is going on and you will feel like you were fully asleep but in reality you were extremely out of it but could follow commands like "open your mouth".

the reason you will feel like you were totally asleep is cuz one of the drugs used gives you short term amnesia.

to give you an idea of something to compare it to is if someone sleep walks. they have no idea that they are doing it but they are up and walking around and they may say or do something funny or strange but then when they wake up in the morning they have no memory of sleep walking.

so like i said before the dentist will either use just local anesthesia or they will use conscious sedation and local anesthesia together. the reason they would use both at the same time is so the pain doesn't immediately hit you when you wake up. they will give you the shots after you are out of it so you don't have to worry about the pain of the shots or being nervous about them.