About Dental Anesthesia

Dental anesthesia allows for complete pain control and anxiety control for patients of all ages.  Oral agents can be utilized for pre-visit anxiety and does allow many patients who avoid dental or oral surgical care to enter their treatment with minimal anxiety and therefore avoid cancellation and future problems by delaying treatment.

Levels of Dental Anesthesia

Local anesthesia involves use of a topical anesthetic in a gel form applied to the gum with a cotton tip applicator (q-tip).  This pre-numbing gel allows for use of local anesthetic such as lidocaine to numb the area that is to be treated.

Conscious sedation can be used in combination with local anesthetic and is given prior to local anesthetic to allow our patients to relax during the dental procedure with amnesia of the care rendered during the appointment and with complete pain control. This type of anesthetic is extremely safe and has a several decade history of excellent results.

Deep sedation and general anesthesia is used for more complicated procedures and in patients with more acute situations such as abscessed teeth or facial infections.  During deep sedation you will be unable to respond appropriately to verbal commands and during general anesthesia you will be unconscious.  Full monitoring including pulse oximetry, EKG, and noninvasive blood pressure utilizing electronic monitors are always used.

A full dental and medical history will be obtained prior to any treatment or selection of anesthesia choice.  For many patients with preexisting heart disease, combined sedation and local anesthesia represents an option that will smooth the patient's experience and limit any excitement or cardiac stress.

Safety of Dental Anesthesia

Our office has been practicing all levels of anesthesia since 1987.  Dr. Hogan is a fellow and is boarded by the National Board of Dental Anesthesia and as such is committed to continuing education and updating of the facilities and patient care.