Anesthesia and sedation options

IV sedation is achieved by administering medicine through a small vein so that you stay asleep during surgery. After IV sedation is achieved, local anesthetic will be used to numb the area where we will do surgery. This ensures that you will stay comfortable throughout the entire process and after waking up from the sedation.

Request consult (561) 833-6880

Overview

We pick the lightest option that keeps you safe and still. Local anesthetic is still used even when you are sedated, so the site stays comfortable as you wake.

How the three options compare

Local anesthesia, IV sedation, and general anesthesia.
Compared	Local anesthesia	IV sedation	General anesthesia
How awake you are	Fully awake. Only the surgical area is numb.	Asleep or deeply drowsy. You are not holding a conversation.	Fully unconscious. A breathing tube is used.
Fasting	Usually you may eat unless you are told otherwise for that visit.	Fast for 8 hours. A small cup of water is okay.	The hospital gives the fasting instructions for that day.
Escort	Not required when you are only numbed and you are driving yourself.	Required. You do not drive that day. Someone should stay with you.	Required. You do not drive that day.
Typical uses	Shorter procedures you are comfortable staying awake for.	Wisdom teeth, implants, extractions, and most office surgery.	Jaw surgery and injuries that are done in the hospital.

Oral and maxillofacial surgeons have rigorous anesthesia training during residency. Dr. Curtis completed that training at the University of Cincinnati and Cincinnati Children's Hospital.

Who it is for

IV sedation is common with wisdom teeth, implants, full-arch surgery, and difficult extractions. Your full medical history and medication list will be reviewed and will determine the proper anesthetic plan.

What to expect

You will fast for 8 hours before surgery, but a small cup of water is okay. After you check in, we place monitors (oxygen, heart rhythm, blood pressure) and start a small IV, which is used to administer medicine.

When surgery ends, you recover in the chair until you can sit, drink a little, and walk with help. Your escort gets the aftercare instructions. Someone should stay with you the rest of the day.

A longer safety explainer is at IV sedation safety.

Recovery

After local anesthesia only

You can usually leave on your own. The numbness lasts for hours. Do not bite your lip while it is numb. Surgical soreness follows the procedure, not the numbing itself.

After IV sedation

The rest of the day: grogginess, a dry mouth, and a fuzzy memory of the morning are expected. Do not drive, drink alcohol, or sign important papers.
That night: nausea can happen. If you vomit, wait an hour before sips of clear liquid, as the aftercare sheet describes.
The next day: most of the sedative effect should be gone. Swelling and diet now follow the surgery you had, not the IV.

After general anesthesia

You wake in a recovery area. Some people go home the same day and some stay overnight, depending on the operation. An escort is required. The surgical recovery is the one described on the jaw surgery or trauma page.

Call us if

Trouble breathing, chest pain, or you cannot be woken in a normal way after you get home
Vomiting that does not settle
A rash after a medicine
Bleeding or swelling that belongs to the surgery and is not slowing — use the procedure’s own warning list as well

Cost and insurance

Local anesthesia, IV sedation, and hospital general anesthesia are different levels of care. The estimate follows the surgery and the anesthesia that surgery needs. The hospital’s bill, when there is one, is separate from the office.

What changes the fee is the work itself: whether grafting is needed, which anesthesia is used, the type of restoration your dentist will make, and whether new imaging is required. Dr. Curtis gives an estimate at the consultation, after the exam. This website does not list prices.

The office takes most PPO dental plans. The current in-network list is on patient info. Call (561) 833-6880 if you want to ask about a plan before you come in.

What patients have said

Comments from the practice record, shown with first name and last initial.

“Let's face it, no one wants to undergo oral surgery, but if you find yourself in that situation, these are the people you want by your side.”

— Marcel M.

“By far the most friendly attentive medical facility I have ever experienced.”

— Rick F.

Questions patients ask

Will I be completely unconscious?

IV sedation in the office is usually moderate to deep sedation, not a hospital general anesthetic. We will tell you what to expect for your specific visit.

Is IV sedation the same as general anesthesia?

No. General anesthesia: fully unconscious, breathing tube needed. Typically done in the hospital.

Is office sedation safe?

For carefully selected patients, with monitoring and an OMS-trained surgeon, it is a routine part of oral surgery. It is not without risk. We will discuss your specific situation at consult. See IV sedation safety.

Can I get sedation for a consult?

No. Consults are conversations. Sedation is reserved for the surgical visit after fasting and planning.

Why do I need an escort for IV sedation?

You will not be safe to drive or to be alone while the medicine is wearing off. The escort also hears the aftercare instructions.

Can I choose to stay awake?

Yes, for many office procedures, if you prefer local anesthesia and the case is short enough. Dr. Curtis will say if staying awake is a poor fit.