Are Dental Implants Done Under General Anaesthesia?
Our teeth are very important when it comes to our health and wellbeing, particularly due to the fact that we need them to chew our food to assist with digestion. Without our teeth, we’d struggle to eat our food, we’d struggle to digest it, and we’d likely struggle to absorb all of the nutrients from it as well.
While we can do things to look after our teeth, sometimes we’ll find that the teeth become broken, damaged, rotten, decayed, or knocked clean out, in which case dental implants may be the only solution.
Having dental implants fitted is a fairly complex dental procedure, partly due to the fact that anaesthesia may be required. But are dental implants done under general anaesthesia or local, and what does the procedure actually involve?
What is general anaesthesia?
We’ll look at what dental implants are in just a few moments, but first, allow us to look in more detail at what general anaesthesia is.
General anaesthesia is basically a state of controlled and regulated unconsciousness whereby the patient will be sent to sleep, so as to stop them from panicking during a medical procedure, and so that they don’t feel pain.
General anaesthesia is normally administered either as a gas which the patient will inhale through a specialist device, or as a liquid which is inserted into the veins via a canula.
General anaesthesia should not be confused with local anaesthesia, which is basically designed to numb certain parts of the body, but keep the patient awake. General anaesthesia is generally utilized for more complex and serious treatments and procedures.
Are dental implants done under general anaesthesia?
Generally speaking, as dental implant surgery is considered to be fairly mild and not too invasive, you’ll find that dental implants are normally carried out under local anaesthesia, rather than general.
There are, however, some instances where dental implant surgery can be done under general anaesthesia. For example, if a patient is mentally or physically challenged, sedation may be the only way to do the procedure. In other instances, patients may suffer from severe dental anxiety in which sedation would be the only option to ensure the dentist is able to carry out the procedure.
What is the dental implant process under general anaesthesia?
If a patient undergoes general anaesthesia for sedation, they will be talked through the procedure and assessed beforehand.
The dentist will look at the patient’s medical history, they will explain the risks, they’ll explain the procedure, and they’ll ask about the patient’s lifestyle and health in general, I.E whether they smoke, do they drink alcohol regularly, what their diet is like, and so on.
Before the procedure, the patient will be taken to a room and given the anaesthesia in the form of gas or a liquid. The sedation kicks in very quickly and usually the patient will be unconscious in less than one minute.
The treatment itself requires the dentist to extract damaged teeth and roots and replace them with metal screws which are screwed into the gums. This is phase one as the screw will then need to fuse with the jawbone.
For phase 2, a false tooth or a dental crown will then be screwed onto the metal screw to replace the damaged/decayed tooth that was extracted. The most invasive part of this procedure is of course the implantation of the metal screws, so usually, sedation will not be required for phase 2, as essentially, all the dentist is doing is screwing false teeth/crowns to the screws.
What happens after the procedure?
After the procedure, the anaesthetic will be stopped, and the patient will be left to regain consciousness in a recovery room.
Typically, they will need to stay here for a few hours to ensure that there weren’t any complications with the anaesthetic. Assuming it all looks good, you will then be allowed to go home.
Afterwards, you’ll likely notice some swelling and soreness on and around the area that was operated on. You should avoid hard and chewy foods for a few days and instead eat soft foods and consume plenty of liquids.
Who should undertake a dental implant procedure under general anaesthetic?
As mentioned, local anaesthesia is the norm when it comes to dental implant procedures, though general can also be used.
Some people that may require general anaesthesia include:
- People that suffer with dental anxiety
- Physically impaired people
- Uncooperative patients
Book your dental implant procedure today
Here at Nedlands Dental, we offer a wide range of dental procedures and treatments designed to leave your teeth strong, white, and healthy.
If you require dental implants, pick up the phone and get in touch with us today, as we can guide you through every step of the process and give you the smile that you’ve always wanted.
