Anesthesia is used for so many other surgeries, why not at the dentist? Friend of mine just had oral surgery for a broken tooth and obviously got novocaine, but he asked if he could be unconscious and they said they didn’t provide that service at their clinic. While drilling or grinding they hit a nerve, which was incredibly painful. Seems like if he flinched at the wrong moment it could make something go horribly wrong.
I understand there is liability in using anesthesia and they don’t use it on every single other type of surgery, but wouldn’t there also be liability if the patient flinches and you drill into the wrong part of their mouth? Even just nitrous seems like it would make the surgery so much easier, safer, and less traumatic for the patient.
Edit: thanks for the responses, I guess I was conflating anesthesia with sedation. My question should have been “why is sedation not required for oral surgery?” Regardless, I learned a lot!
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We don’t use it on every single other type of surgery. Even a C-section is performed while the mother is conscious. Some foot surgery is also only local anaesthesia and your view simply gets blocked by a curtain. Most surgeries at a dermatologist are all local anaesthesia.
Numbing a specific spot on the patient is far less dangerous, time consuming and expensive than being entirely put under.
But does it suck when getting your nerve drilled? Yes. I’ve been there. It was brutal.
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