Facts to Remember About General Anesthesia

Your dentist may advise that you’ll need general anesthesia in Plano for your scheduled surgery. For a calm mind leading up to your treatment, it’s worthwhile to learn about anesthesia, what it does to the body, and what you can expect after the procedure.

Differences Between Local and General Anesthesia

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The main difference between local and general anesthesia is which part of the body they affect. As its name suggests, local anesthesia is limited to a small area in the body. The dental implant procedure, for instance, could use local anesthesia to suppress pain while the surgeon drills a hole in the person’s gums.

On the other hand, general anesthesia is designed to stop any sensation coming from all body parts. You’ll hear about this variant being used in major surgeries where the patient is asleep during the whole ordeal.

Who Needs General Anesthesia?

Surgeons will exercise this option for procedures that consume several hours, like heart surgeries, organ and bone replacements, and emergency operations.  

Dental patients who are scheduled for multiple tooth extractions, for instance, will typically require general anesthesia instead of sedation. People with anxieties or those who cannot keep calm may also be candidates.

Effects of General Anesthesia

General anesthesia’s immediate effect is a loss of consciousness that persists while surgeons work on you. Some people don’t experience side effects once they begin recovering, but others can expect multiple residual reactions to the medication. These include:  

Oral Dryness and Sore Throat

Like falling asleep, the mouth will feel dry once you wake up from the operation. You can address this by drinking a glass of warm water after you regain consciousness. Avoid cold or hot liquids because your throat will also be sore from hours of holding a breathing tube.

Nausea

Nausea is a direct complication of the anesthetic and should go away within 24 hours. Some people may feel sick and throw up for at most 48 hours. Your surgeon may prescribe drugs to counteract this side effect.

Difficulty Urinating  

Some people experience difficulties in urinating while recovering from surgery. This is a complication of the brain suppressing effect of general anesthesia in Plano. However, scientists observe that urinary retention is more prevalent after spinal anesthesia than in general anesthesia.

Muscle Pain

The suppressant drugs not only turn off your consciousness but also paralyze muscular function. Relaxed muscles allow the surgeon to insert a breathing apparatus down your airway. Once they wear off, however, these muscles might feel sore.

Cognitive Impairment

Anesthetic drugs suppress several brain activities to induce the stupor needed for the surgery. Not all of the brain neurons reactivate simultaneously once the medication wears off. As a result, you may have difficulty concentrating or thinking and feel confused. However, this “brain fog” will disappear once the brain’s functions fully return.

Is Sedation the Same as Anesthesia?

Both achieve the same effect during surgeries. However, the difference between sedation and general anesthesia lies in the extent of the patient’s consciousness. Body-wide anesthesia means total unconsciousness. The patient breathes through an apparatus monitored by an anesthesiologist and cannot respond to touch or instructions from the surgeon.

On the other hand, sedation retains a degree of wakefulness depending on the type used during the procedure. Patients maintain control over their breathing and other cardiovascular functions. During wisdom tooth extractions, a sedated patient will also be given a local anesthetic to numb the extraction site and suppress pain.  

Lastly, sedation’s side effects don’t last more than a day. It takes you more time to bounce back from some residual manifestations of general anesthesia than you would when using sedatives.  

Three Types of Sedation

Dentists typically use one of three levels of sedation during oral surgeries, namely:

• Minimal Sedation

The medicine relaxes your mind and muscles, but you can still respond to vocal cues and touch. Nitrous oxide or laughing gas is the primary drug of choice for this level of sedation.

• Moderate Sedation

Also known as twilight sedation, the drug brings patients to the brink of sleep. However, the individual is still responsive to touch and verbal communication. They may experience partial amnesia.

• Deep Sedation

Like general anesthesia, deep sedation knocks the patient out during the surgery. They cannot respond to any stimulation. They may require help in breathing, but their cardiovascular function remains independent.

Minimal sedation uses drugs that the body can easily flush out. You can even drive yourself home if the surgery wasn’t extensive. Moderation and deep sedation, on the other hand, may take a while for you to recover from. You’ll need someone to drive you to and from the dental office because of their effects on your brain.

Consult With an Expert in General Anesthesia in Plano

Talk with your dentist if you think you will need general anesthesia for your upcoming surgery. You can contact our office and ask questions or schedule a visit.