What is General Anaesthesia?
General anesthesia is a state of unconsciousness that is produced by pharmacological means. Patients are given this medication as standard care in most medical procedures performed in hospitals or outpatient surgical facilities. Under general anesthesia, the patient is completely unaware of what is going on and has no recollection of the surgery. A qualified anesthesia provider should only administer such a state of anesthesia.
Patients should be aware that general anesthesia is not the same as "just going to sleep," as they may believe. Patient monitoring and physiologic support from the anesthesiologist are required at all times while the patient is under general anesthesia. For example, the patient may need assistance with breathing. Although most medical operations may be completed using local and regional anesthesia (numbing the affected area with nerve blocks or spinal anesthesia), it is usually assumed that general anesthesia would be used for the majority of treatments. On the other hand, most dental procedures are performed under local anesthesia (nerve blocks) rather than under general anesthesia or sedation (general anesthesia). This does not have to be the case, though.
In-Office General Anaesthesia
General Anesthesia can be an option for you if you are very nervous, anxious or scared of the Dentists. This may be an option for very large and long procedures as well.
No longer do you need to travel to different hospitals, go through mountains of paperwork from different locations, try to coordinate the time between the Anesthetist, A Day Surgery Centre and the Dentist, they are all a thing of the past with our In-Office General Anesthesia service. The service is all done at Tooth Heaven. Because of the convenience, many people have come to us for this procedure.
This service is also great for children too. Children frequently do not receive the dental healthcare they require due to worry, financial constraints, the number of visits needed to repair a single troublesome tooth, and other factors. As a result, many dental problems progress to the point where they must be treated in a hospital operating theatre under general anesthesia, resulting in longer wait times and higher costs.
In-office general anesthesia (IOGA) attempts to solve these issues by providing complete comprehensive dental healthcare to children faster, more comfortable, and less expensive than traditional general anesthesia.
Costs
The cost for having GA done at Tooth Heaven is also very affordable, given that it is done at Tooth Heaven and our patients will also receive rebates from Medicare. Along with private insurance, having GA done for your dental procedures won't break the bank!
Paperwork Involved
As mentioned, having the procedure done at Tooth Heaven reduces the amount of travelling between sites and also the paperwork needed to have this happen.
Getting teeth fixed shouldnt be too hard. The team at Tooth Heaven has made it alot easier and streamlined too.
Advantages and Disadvantages of General Anaesthesia
The most obvious benefit is the absence of pain perception during surgery, which could otherwise be unbearable. This helps both the patient and the surgeon, who might otherwise struggle with the body's physiological response to stress. This reaction can cause severe morbidity and death if not treated with general anesthesia. Amnesia is required to reduce or eliminate intraoperative recollection because the ordinary person cannot bear the concept of undergoing surgery, even if they do not feel or see it. This might lead to really painful memories.
General anesthesia has several drawbacks as well, such as causing nausea, vomiting, headaches, and a delay in memory recovery. When a patient is put under general anesthesia, their physiological characteristics might fluctuate dramatically. Although rare, malignant hyperthermia is a serious but rare complication of general anesthesia (an inherited condition that causes hyperkalemia, metabolic acidosis, hypercarbia, and a lethal increase in body temperature in response to the anesthetic medication). However, this is being monitored closely by the anesthetist and precautions are taken to reduce the effects of these. Some options are: heated packs, and warm blankets are provided to patients.
After General Anaesthesia
If the patient needs further treatment after the surgery, they are transferred to a recovery room where their vital signs are closely monitored. The patient may have dizziness and nausea for a few hours following anesthesia, as well as a sore throat and mouth for a day or two following the procedure. Maintaining the patient's calm and relaxed mental state after the procedure is important, as is making sure that the patient returns for a follow-up visit as recommended.
Choose from the following options to find out more: