| Dealing With Common Misunderstandings About Anesthesia |
Oral and maxillofacial surgeons utilize different kinds of anesthesia to help numb you before a surgery procedure commences. This allows you to remain comfortable during your surgical procedure. You may receive nitrous oxide (also known as laughing gas), IV sedation, general anesthesia, or local anesthesia depending on the recommendation of the dentist.
That being said, some confusion arises about anesthesia that you need to be aware of to make your surgery experience a seamless one. An oral surgeon may have to reschedule your surgery if there is no adult escort available within the first few minutes of your surgery appointment. The person driving you home must be physically present at the time of starting the surgical procedure.
Another thing is that patients should not eat or drink prior to their appointment. Often, it is dangerous to receive sedation with a full stomach. When an anesthetic is administered, the reflexes of your body stop temporarily. Therefore, if your stomach was full or had food or drink in it, you have a risk of bringing up that food into your throat or vomiting.
Gain more understanding about anesthesia before you get to the day of surgery. Ask as many questions as possible so that you can have a smooth procedure. This way, you will avoid any inconveniences that may arise. Contact us to discuss more about our sedation dentistry options and what works for you.
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IV Sedation |
Intravenous conscious sedation (AKA IV Sedation) is a very popular method of sedation that we at Mountain State Oral and Facial Surgery offer our patients. IV sedation is extremely popular among patients who have a strong dislike of dental work, because it allows them to avoid anxiety and feel completely at ease while having work done.
What does it do?IV sedation puts you in a relaxed state of mind but does not put you to sleep. You will remain awake and be able to respond to any requests the doctor may have while you are sedated. Patients often experience partial or total amnesia for the full period of sedation. That is to say, you will not remember most of (or sometimes all of) the procedure. Meanwhile the drugs we use will give you a very pleasant feeling of euphoria.
You will be aware of what is happening while it is happening. You will feel at ease with what is happening. You will be able to respond to our requests during the procedure—all this and you won’t remember a thing!
How does it work?We do not use narcotics in our IV sedation. Instead we use drugs from the benzodiazepine family. Benzodiazepines work by suppressing anxiety inducing effects in the brain. They do nothing to prevent pain which is why we will always use a local anesthetic during any procedure which might be uncomfortable.
Is it safe? We at Mountain State Oral and Facial Surgery only use sedation techniques that have been approved by the American Dental Association. To ensure your safety we will go over your medical history and request a list of medications that you are taking.
The application of the IV is the easiest part, just a small prick around the wrist and in no time the effects of the drug will kick in. You will feel calm and before you know it the procedure will be over. You may remember snippets of the procedure but probably not much. We encourage you to bring a friend or family member with you to any appointment in which you will receive IV sedation to ensure a safe return home.
The end result is a worry-free visit to our office. We care about your comfort and want you to give us a call at 304-345-1092 with any questions you may have regarding IV sedation. |
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Platelet Rich Plasma
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 At Mountain State Oral and Facial Surgery, we pride ourselves on our use of new and revolutionary techniques, including platelet rich plasma. Platelet rich plasma, or PRP for short, has changed the way we treat tissue regeneration. In many ways, it has taken our surgical facility to even greater heights!
What Is Platelet Rich Plasma?
Our blood mainly consists of a liquid, which is referred to as plasma. However, it also contains smaller components such as red cells, white cells, and platelets. The platelets are an important part of clotting blood, and also play a major role in healing injuries.
PRP is a by-product of separating thousands of platelets from a larger source of blood plasma. In the past, PRP was confined to the hospital due to extremely high costs. Technological advancements have lowered the cost PRP, making it more widely available to patients like you.
Platelet Rich Plasma Process
To develop PRP, must first extract a small amount of blood. Next, the platelets are separated from the other parts of your blood in a centrifuge. This eliminates the need for platelet preparation at a hospital or blood bank.
Taking the platelets from your blood also ensures that the procedure is completely safe.
The procedure usually takes place immediately after your initial surgery. PRP contains a high concentration of growth factors that can expedite the healing process.
Applications for Platelet Rich Plasma
Platelet rich plasma has many clinical applications in many medical fields. At our office, we mainly use PRP for bone grafting, gum grafting, and dental implants. Grafting applications may include sinus lifts, ridge augmentation, and socket preservation.
PRP can also be used to close lip, cleft, and palate defects. The platelets assist the body in repairing itself by stimulating stem cells to regenerate soft tissues. An increase in growth factors can ensure your stem cells are properly stimulated.
The growth factors in PRP contain a bone morphogenic protein (BMP), which has been shown to induce the formation of new bone. This is immensely beneficial for patients who have experienced significant bone deterioration due to missing teeth or injury. In the past, bone deterioration could prevent a patient from receiving a dental implant.
If you need implant treatment but have also suffered from bone deterioration, we may recommend a bone graft. By adding PRP to the implant site, can help you grow healthy bone faster and more effectively than ever before. This will help ensure that you qualify for implant treatment.
Advantages of Platelet Rich Plasma
The use of PRP has revolutionized the healing process following many oral surgeries. Advantages of platelet rich plasma include:
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Safety. Because PRP is a by-product of your own blood, disease transmission and treatment rejection is not a problem.
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Quicker healing. The growth factors in PRP have been proven to increase recovery times and tissue regeneration.
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Convenience. Thanks to new technologies, PRP is easier to produce than ever before. It is usually included with additional outpatient procedures, preventing the need for an additional appointment. |
Schedule Your Consultation Today!
If you would like to learn more about PRP or our other cutting-edge treatments, call 304-345-1092. Our team is standing by to help you schedule your consultation now! |
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| Can Dental Issues Be Hereditary? |
Although you cannot change your genetic makeup, it is possible to change your oral health habits. Maintaining proper oral care can make your teeth and gums stay strong and healthy. Brush twice a day and floss at least once per day. How you brush is also important in ensuring good health of the teeth and gums. Ensure you use circular motions of the toothbrush on the front as well as back teeth. Do not ignore the tongue because it can host harmful bacteria. When your dental products wear out or are old, swap them out for next ones. For example, obtain a new toothbrush every three months. Last but not least, eat healthy foods and keep starchy foods and sugars to a minimum. If you want to find out how genes and dental issues are related, talk to us.
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