If a patient has extreme difficulty receiving dental treatment, our oral surgeon may recommend in-office general anesthesia. General anesthesia induces sleep, making it easy for our oral surgeon and team to provide the necessary care.

General anesthetics are usually administered through inhalation or an injection into the hand or arm. We may also use a long-lasting local anesthetic during the procedure so that the patient will wake up feeling numb after treatment and remain comfortable after the general anesthetic wears off.

Our oral surgeon may recommend general anesthesia when:

• A child cannot relax or calm down enough to receive treatment safely
• Oral surgery or other treatment is difficult to provide when the patient is awake
• A patient needs extensive dental work performed in a single visit
• A patient has special needs or a disability that limits their ability to understand or comply with directions to safely receive treatment

You will be provided with detailed instructions about eating and drinking before and after your procedure, as well as instructions on post-operative care following treatment. Please follow these instructions as closely as possible.

If you have any questions about general anesthesia, please contact our office.