Wisdom Teeth Removal and Sedation

Wisdom teeth are the upper and lower third molars that are located at the very back of your mouth. They are the last teeth to erupt in the mouth; that’s why they are called wisdom teeth. Wisdom teeth usually come in when a person is about 17 to 21 years old.  As wisdom teeth appear in the mouth, lastly, there is not much room left to accommodate them. 

It causes improper growth and overcrowding of wisdom teeth, leading to various dental problems. That’s why dentists recommend extracting wisdom teeth in the beginning before they exert any serious effects on your oral health.

You might need to get your wisdom teeth removed if you experience any of the following symptoms:

• Consistent pain in the back of the mouth.
• Sensitivity to temperature extremes.
• Jaw damage or discomfort while chewing.
• Inflamed gums.
• Sinus problems.

If you have been recommended to remove your wisdom teeth, then don’t worry! It is not as scary as you think. It is like other oral treatment procedures done by our dentists at Daher Dental. If you fear visiting the dentist for wisdom teeth extraction, then don’t because we offer different services and procedures, such as sedation, to make sure you feel comfortable.

We also offer laughing gas or nitrous oxide to make you feel relaxed during the dental procedure. We have helped many patients when it comes to removing wisdom teeth. We have performed many different wisdom teeth extractions with different types of sedation.

Contact Us Today To Book a Consultation call us at 519-672-0931 or click here

Benefits Of Sedation For Wisdom Teeth Removal

Even if you do not have any pain associated with your wisdom teeth and have no complaints, it is still important to check on the wisdom teeth or molars. As we continue to age, we may encounter problems associated with our wisdom teeth, such as infections or cysts, because the space in our mouths continues to expand. The wisdom teeth removal treatment is usually carried out with the use of sedatives and has multiple benefits. 

• Removes Gag Reflex:

A strong gag reflex can make dental treatment processes incredibly difficult, and it is not something that the average local anaesthetic can neutralise. Sedation can minimize or even eliminate the gag reflex, allowing dentists to concentrate on oral treatments like wisdom tooth removal. 

• Allows complex dental procedures:

Dental procedures are of numerous types. Some are quite simple and are completed in a single dental visit. Whereas some dental procedures are more complex and require multiple appointments. For such extensive and complex dental treatment procedures, sedation is often used to make these processes possible to be carried out. 

Oral treatment procedures such as wisdom teeth extraction can be as short as 40 minutes or can drag to a few hours or more. Sitting in the dentist’s chair for hours is not a pleasant experience. That’s why sedation can make particularly lengthy and extremely complex dental procedures more bearable for average patients.

• Removes anxiety and fear:

Some people get severe anxiety issues when they undergo dental treatment procedures. The mere sight of dental tools makes them anxious and scared. For such patients, local anaesthetics are often not sufficient to calm them down. While treating patients with dentophobia (dental fear), dentists often choose sedation to make their treatment processes manageable. 

• Improves quality of care:

Dentists work best when their patients are comfortable and calm. Light sedation can soothe an anxious and distressed patient, enabling dentists to focus fully on the treatment process without any distractions. It is estimated that almost 90% of wisdom teeth require extraction or removal. Extractions can be very complicated as you age and may lead to various complications.

That’s why we recommend that you should not wait if you feel discomfort or pain in the posterior region of your mouth and immediately seek professional dental help. If you are worried or anxious about the extraction procedure, we recommend removing your wisdom and molar teeth via sedation such as laughing gas or other methods. Our team will be able to help remove your wisdom teeth with very minimal discomfort.

Types Of Sedation in Dentistry

Several types of sedation are used in dentistry depending on the anxiousness of patients and the severity of oral treatment processes. 

1. Laughing Gas

Laughing gas, also called nitrous oxide, is a safer sedative approach for children and adults. Nitrous oxide sedation enables patients to be awake and aware of their surroundings during treatment. Laughing gas or nitrous oxide sedation is recommended for people with extreme anxiety issues to help them relax in the chair during oral procedures. In nitrous oxide sedation, a mask is gently placed over the patient’s nose.

The laughing gas only takes a few minutes to show its results. Unlike other types of sedation in dentistry, the effects of laughing gas are quick to wear off. This means you will be able to drive home or return to work just after getting your dental treatment done.

Moreover, laughing gas carries the least risk compared to other types of sedation methods. Side effects of laughing gas fade away once we remove the mask. Nitrous oxide sedation can be used for every dental treatment, from teeth cleanings to root canals.

2. Oral Sedation

Oral sedation in dentistry is a medical procedure that administers sedative drugs via the oral route. It is also known as pill sedation. Oral sedation is one of the three sedation methods dentists use to minimize pain sensations and to help patients calm down during dental procedures. 

Unlike other forms of sedation, such as nitrous oxide and intravenous (IV) sedation, patients take the oral sedative in the form of a pill in the hours leading up to the appointment. These pills can make people drowsy but not enough to fall asleep.

Oral sedatives are the most commonly used form of anaesthesia. In some cases, some people might get groggy enough to fall asleep, though, but they can still be awakened by gentle shaking.