The Three C's Of Picking General Or Local Anesthesia For Wisdom Teeth Extraction

There are a ton of factors involved in getting your wisdom teeth out, and picking the right places to splurge and spend is the key to getting out of the whole endeavor with the least amount of discomfort and the most money left over in your wallet. In order to best examine this complex set of issues, it's easiest to break them down into three categories and look at each individually. Here are the three C's of choosing between local and general anesthesia for when you have to get your wisdom teeth out.

Cost

Getting local anesthesia done can cost dramatically less than general anesthesia, making it the best option for cost-conscious patients. That's because the amount and type of general anesthesia depends on a number of factors like age, body weight, and even hair color in some cases. Local anesthesia, on the other hand, requires fewer considerations since other body parts like your heart and lungs won't be affected by it. When it comes to cost, the edge goes to local anesthesia as a cheaper alternative to general.

Comfort

The issue of comfort is always a top concern for patients and dentists alike, so this factor might be just as significant as cost for many patients. What's important when considering this factor is that both offer complete numbness to the mouth, meaning you won't actually feel any more or less pain no matter which option you choose. The real difference comes in a person's desire to be asleep during the procedure or if they are comfortable with watching the dentist do his or her thing. Most patients say that the sounds of drilling and the crack of removing the tooth are the worst parts, so if you're not squeamish, then these parts of the surgery shouldn't affect you too much. Comfort, then, comes down to your own level of squeamishness.

Convenience

When getting your wisdom teeth out, it's also important to factor the surgery itself into your daily life. If you have a busy schedule and only a small timeframe to get back up on your feet, then local anesthesia is the way to go. That's because most practices won't allow you to drive home after receiving general anesthesia due to the potential for residual effects like falling asleep at the wheel, for example. Also, local anesthesia will allow you to pop up and leave after the surgery, whereas you'll have to wait to wake up after receiving general anesthesia. When it comes to convenience, local anesthesia will be the better choice for the majority of patients. 

If you have any specific questions about anesthesia for your upcoming procedure, contact a dentist in your area like Paul Dona DDS for help.

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