What is the sedation like for getting 4 molars extracted?

[curious girl]

I am set to get 4 molars (not wisdoms) extracted for braces (I have a SUPPPEERRRR crowded mouth and my ortho said not even an expander would cut it).
The oral surgeon asked me "do you want to be fully awake during it?"
I answered no... and he said "so IV sedation?"
I answered yes.
Then he turned to the nurse and said "mark her down for "general."
Then he turned to me and said "don't worry. It's true anesthesia. you won't see me or hear me. There's no chances of waking up in the middle like a horror story. it'll be a continuous IV drip"
What does he mean?
What is it like going into the procedure? What is it like when they put the needle in? How long does it take to fall asleep? Will you remember falling asleep? Will you feel them doing the procedure? Will I feel pain? What is waking up like? Will I remember it? How long will I need to stay in the recovery room? How will I get to the recovery room? What happens if I get low on oxygen? what all machines will I be hooked up to--and how? What does it feel like? what is it like when you are actually falling asleep? do you dream? Are you actually asleep or just relaxed? If i am just relaxed won't i feel it?

I am sooo scared. Please answer my questions. :/

 

[Jared]

First - you are getting what is known as 'twilight sleep'.

Dentists/Oral Surgeons for extractions don't FULL put you out. Far too dangerous and too much expense. To be OUT you will be on a ventilator and your autonomous functions impaired. This isn't necessary here.

The medications usually used are Midazolam (sometimes another benzo is used.. ) but this sedates, and relaxes you. A great deal. Removes anxiety.

Then often an opiate is combined, with or without phenergan -- ie: Demerol, or something like Talwin, Morphine, or even Nubain can be used.

Commonly used are meperidine (aka: Demoral) and as I mentioned the Midazolam. Either way the effect is the same.

You will literally be 'out of it' and unaware of what is going on. You will likely close your eyes, and the amnesic effect of the benzo will likely make you go to sleep and then wake up wondering is it over yet?.. Which is the effect that is wanted.

The continuous IV drip, means these medications are distributed in metered doses by a machine (you will see it attached the bags) which will put small amounts in your body at computer controlled doses to keep your blood plasma levels perfect the whole time so you DON"T wake or get too much.

The needle isn't bad. As you can imagine, there is often more anxiety about it being done than the actual split second it takes to put it in. It isn't incredibly large.

It would be NO different than getting your blood taken for a blood drive and very similar to having blood taken at your Family Physician (which I'm sure you've had done once before)

Generally what you remember is unique -- and often you remember what odd things you were thinking or dreaming -- people don't remember falling 'out'. So no.

You will NOT feel them during.

The ansesthetic is alone enough to keep you oblivious BUT they also give a thorough local anesthetic 10-15minutes before the extractions so the nerves are not responding to pain from the procedure. So even if you somehow were aware or woke up -- you would NOT feel pain.

For this.. recovery is generally less than an hour and you go home.

Waking up can best be described as waking up abruptly from sleep , feeling weird, like you were having a weird dream. Further the effects of the medications will be in you and you will feel a little "high" to be honest. Not an unpleasant feeling.

You will be hooked up to an oximeter which measures your blood oxygen saturation every few milliseconds.. And will BEEP if it drops below a safe threshold. This piece of equipment can be put on after you go out,.. and doesn't hurt, it just clips onto your finger.

You may also be hooked to a Heart Monitor, which you have seen many times. Some do some don't.

None of these hurt.

So at most,.. I.V. (for the whole procedure),.. Oximeter, and potential Heart monitor. Not a big deal, and you won't be conscious of it.

Yes, you dream.

Though you are in a different level of sleep which is induced by drugs which DO make you relaxed -- you will be very relaxed when you wake up as medicines don't just stop when the procedures are over.

Don't worry about it! It is 100% safe, and painless.

Just be sure to take your pain medication prescribed to you by the doctor immediately. It is much easier to keep pain from coming, than to bring an elevated level of pain down.

IE: Some people think because they don't hurt immediately after the procedure they won't hurt at all. So they don't bother with the meds.. and then the next day they start hurting and may not even have their pain medication filled. The pain gets a little high in these cases, and it can take several hours to bring it back down.

Where as if you take your medicine ASAP after procedure, and take every 4-6 hours for the first two days then see where your pain is from there.. you won't have to really deal with much pain.

Again relax,.. you will be a pro in no time, and can answer others questions that are of this nature and happen everyday -- here, yourself.

Good luck,

 

[David]

you worry too much. i had all four impacted wisdom teeth removed in the office in 1979. i was 32. i had a drip sedative, and a bunch of numbing shots. i think i got about ten shots. that was very unpleasant. once the i.v. was working; i could have cared less. i was aware of my surroundings. no pain. lots of pain after wards. i was on codeine with tylenol for five days. you,re having general anesthesia. you will feel nothing, except for the i.v. insertion. you well remember nothing. you will actually survive the experience, and with no memory of the process. i remember. i saw pieces of my molars on top of a radiator cover. i,ve had about ten surgeries of various types with complete anesthesia. lights out! you remember nothing.