It’s common for oral surgery patients to be concerned about pain and
discomfort. Your safety and comfort are of utmost importance to our
entire team, and you can be sure that when you receive treatment at
our practice, you are in the very best hands before, during, and after
your surgical procedures. As highly trained oral and maxillofacial
surgeons, Drs. Friedman and Schulhof practice the full scope of oral
surgery procedures, with special skill in performing minimally
invasive treatments using the most advanced surgical techniques.
Our surgeons have extensive hospital-based anesthesia training and
certifications in Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) and offer a
variety of anesthesia options to help you feel relaxed about your
procedure and to eliminate pain during surgery. During your initial
consultation with your oral surgeon, every option for your anesthesia
will be discussed, and the ideal anesthesia will be added to your
treatment plan based on your specific needs, level of anxiety about
your treatment, and your health concerns. For the safest sedation
experience possible, you will be monitored continuously during and
after your surgery.
Types of Anesthesia
North Jersey Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery offers the following types
of in-office anesthesia and sedation:
Local Anesthesia. Local anesthesia called lidocaine
is used in all oral surgeries, usually along with other forms of
anesthesia. Lidocaine/local anesthesia is applied directly to the
surgical site to rapidly calm any sensation of pain in the area.
Nitrous Oxide. Nitrous oxide is an inhaled gas with
calming and mild pain-relieving effects. Dentistry has utilized this
gas for many years, usually along with other types of anesthesia
such as local anesthesia. It’s referred to as laughing gas because
it’s common for patients to laugh out loud while inhaling nitrous
oxide!
Office-Based IV Sedation. Intravenous sedation,
also known as IV sedation or twilight sleep, is so effective that it
will ease any anxiety you may have about your treatment, and you
will not feel any pain associated with your procedure. You may even
drift in and out of consciousness while under IV sedation. For this
type of anesthesia, you must not have anything to eat or drink
(excluding prescription medications with a sip of water) for at
least six hours before receiving it, and a responsible adult should
be present to drive you home after surgery. More details and instructions below.
Office-Based General Anesthesia. Office-based
general anesthesia puts the patient in a completely unconscious
state. Patients are unaware of the procedure being performed, so
even though it is usually reserved for more complex surgeries, you
may request general anesthesia for your routine procedure if you
have substantial anxiety about receiving surgery. Your vital signs
will be closely monitored while you are under this type of
anesthesia, and a designated driver is required to take you home
after your procedure.
Anesthesia with IV Sedation
During your consultation, your oral surgeon will review some basic guidelines about preparing for surgery and IV sedation. Here is a summary of the general surgical guidelines:
Avoid having anything to eat or drink, including water, for eight hours before your surgery.
Avoid smoking for at least 12 hours before surgery. Ideally, we recommend patients eliminate smoking altogether.
You will need an adult to accompany you to the appointment, wait for you, listen to any essential post-surgical instructions, and drive you home. We cannot discharge patients who don’t have a ride lined up.
Following the anesthesia experience, you should avoid driving or operating heavy machinery for at least 24 hours.
We advise patients to wear loose-fitting clothes with short sleeves and low-heeled shoes.
Before surgery, we will ask you to remove dentures, contact lenses, and jewelry.
On the day of your surgery, avoid wearing lipstick, nail polish, or makeup.
Notify the office if you have any illness leading up to the day of your surgery, including a sore throat, cough, upset stomach, etc.
Ensure that you discuss any medications you currently take with your surgeon. Ideally, you should furnish a current list of medications at your initial consultation.
Anesthesia Options in Paramus, NJ
Whatever anesthesia is decided upon for your procedure, you will be in
the best hands with our team. Please contact us with any questions you
have regarding pain management or anesthesia and sedation at our
practice. As always, Drs. Friedman and Schulhof and your entire care
team at North Jersey Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery hold your comfort,
well-being, and safety in very high regard.
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