Sedation Dentistry: A safe and comfortable way to have your wisdom teeth removed
Having your wisdom teeth removed is a more extensive process than an average tooth extraction. Your oral surgeon may have to cut through bone material to reach impacted teeth. Although it’s routinely performed, wisdom teeth extraction is still a significant surgery, and most patients choose some form of sedation to make the procedure more comfortable. In the past, many patients selected general anesthesia for wisdom teeth extraction, but an increasing number are turning to sedation dentistry instead. Sedation dentistry is widely considered to be safer than general anesthesia. The medication, typically from a class of anti-anxiety drugs known as benzodiazepines, helps patients achieve a deep state of relaxation. Patients remain conscious during sedation and they are still able to respond to requests from the oral surgeon. Also, because patients remain awake with sedation, the airway is not compromised as it is with general anesthesia. As a result, sedation dentistry comes…