Anesthesia
A visit to an oral and maxillofacial surgeon is usually an anxiety producer for most people. Our goal is to provide your surgical care in a safe and comfortable manner. As the surgical specialist of the dental profession, our doctors have had extensive hospital training in all aspects of anesthesia administration and emergency care. Whether you decide to have your procedure performed with local anesthesia to numb the area or sedation/general anesthesia so that you are totally unaware of this surgery, today's technology makes it possible to perform even complex surgery in the oral and maxillofacial surgery office with virtually no discomfort. Knowing this should start to reduce your level of anxiety. Usually the patients describe the anesthesia experience as pleasant and have no recall of the surgical procedure.
The ability to provide patients with safe, effective outpatient anesthesia has distinguished the specialty of oral and maxillofacial surgery since its earliest days. During their hospital-based surgical residency program, oral and maxillofacial surgeons must complete a rotation on the medical anesthesiology service, during which they become competent in evaluating patients for anesthesia, delivering the anesthetic and monitoring post-anesthetic patients. As a result of this extensive training, the administration of anesthesia in the oral and maxillofacial surgery office has an enviable safety record.
It is our utmost goal to make your surgical experience as pleasant and stress free as possible while maintaining the highest levels of safety. During anesthesia, our patients are placed on monitoring equipment comparable to those used in the hospital setting. All of our doctors maintain certification in advanced cardiac life support and pediatric advanced life support. The state of Utah has strict guidelines regarding the administration of anesthesia and our office is regularly inspected to meet these standards. Our doctors maintain unrestricted anesthesia permits in our state and are certified by the National Dental Board of Anesthesiology.
During an initial consultation, you and your surgeon can discuss the type of procedure involved, your medical history and your level of anxiety. Some procedures are best performed with general anesthesia or IV sedation, where as others are easily accomplished with local anesthesia. The choice of anesthesia is a personal decision and should be made only after discussion with the doctor.