Whoever said wisdom teeth removal is never fun? A recent video of Olympic gold-winning gymnast Simone Biles shows a light-hearted side – or more accurately, side-effect – of extraction.
In the video that Biles herself shared, she is seen in the dentist’s chair apparently recovering from wisdom teeth removal. Giddy and hazy from anesthesia, she thinks she’s in the middle of a traffic jam – and acts accordingly, steering an imaginary wheel and honking an imaginary horn, to the amusement of the people around her.
Would you find some humor in having the same thing happen to you? Even if you can laugh it off, you need not have a similar experience when you undergo your extraction in Greenville, SC.
Your trusted Greenville dentists can go over your options for sedation and anesthetics, helping you decide which is best for you.
Typically, there are four options.
Local anesthesia
When the teeth that need removing are visible and easy to extract, your dentist could suggest local anesthesia. This pain-numbing medication will be injected to the area to be treated, so you would feel nothing from it as the extraction happens. You would be fully awake, though, so it’s up to you if you want to “see” the extraction process as it happens to you.
General anesthesia
General anesthesia uses oral and intravenous medication to put you on a level of unconsciousness during extraction. Under its influence, it would be as if you simply fell asleep and woke up having no more molars.
Conscious sedation
Greenville dentists like Downtown Dental tend to recommend this method because it strikes a balance between a patient’s and a dentist’s needs.
Conscious sedation only puts patients in a relaxed state; you would be awake and responsive during a procedure, yet still feel no pain. This way, you could cooperate with your dentist if needed, and be responsive to any questions about your comfort.
Despite causing some drowsiness immediately after the procedure, the medicine for conscious sedation wears off quickly, has fewer side effects, and can let you resume daily activities as quickly as possible.
“Laughing gas”
Technically known as nitrous oxide, “laughing gas” not only sedates patients – it can also give them pleasurable feelings, leading to its nickname. This double effect would enable you to relax even more in the dentist’s chair. It also works quickly and all its “laughing” effects are reversible. However, you would require more attentive care afterwards to prevent its negative side effects.
Give which sedative or anesthetic you’ll use some thought – but remember that, regardless of discomfort, what matters is that after extraction you’ll have something to truly smile about.
Sources:
Watch: Olympian Simone Biles video after wisdom teeth surgery, WTHR.com. July 30, 2017.
Wisdom teeth anesthesia options, Colgate.com.
Conscious sedation for surgical procedures, MedlinePlus.gov.