Do we need general anesthesia to get third molar pulled out?

1. 48

   sweetie1posted 12 years ago

   Do we need general anesthesia to get third molar pulled out?
   
   An American friend told me she got her lower ( mandibular) third molar ( wisdom tooth) removed under general anesthesia. I was under impression that it is routine OPD procedure. So do we really need to be under general anesthesia to get third molar removed?

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2. 86

   bankscottageposted 12 years ago

   No, it is not required.  Part of it depends on how impacted the molar is (how much bone is over the tooth and how difficult the dentist expects the removal to be).  Also, it depends on how nervous the patient is.  A simple extraction could be done with just a local anesthetic.  Some times some medication can be given I.V. to sedate the patient (twilight sleep).  Occasionally nitrous oxide (laughing gas) can be administered.  A general anesthetic would be administered for a particularly difficult case or if the dentist or patient didn't think the patient could tolerate the procedure with the options mentioned earlier.  Some people confuse sedation or twilight sleep with general anesthesia.  From the patient's perspective, they don't remember anything so they think they were asleep with a general anesthetic.  Physiologically, they are not under general anesthesia with sedation.  Sedation is like a light dimmer switch.  The light gets dimmer and dimmer (sedation) until the light goes out (general anesthesia).

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3. 83

   tmbridgelandposted 12 years ago

   All I know is that the insurance company I work for won't pay for if it is just one tooth extraction, they figure you can do it under a local. If it is multiple extractions, and badly impacted, they usually pay for the general.

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4. 64

   Rosana Modugnoposted 12 years ago

   It depends on if it's impacted and the gums need to be cut to remove it, then yes.  But if it's over the gum and visible, then no.  Also it depends on the patient's pain tolerance.  Some people prefer to be put under, others like myself, don't even need local anesthesia.

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   1. 51

      naqeeb16posted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Yes I agree with bankscottage. It depend on the situation i.e. degree of tooth impaction and patient's tolerance level. A good Dental Surgeon can easily assess all these things before pulling a tooth hence he chose the type of anesthesia.tooth  hence

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5. 63

   ShadyAlexposted 12 years ago

   Local anesthesia works so well for nearly everyone, and is extremely safe than general anesthesia but general anesthesia can be used for extremely anxious people and removal of wisdom teeth which are completely covered in bone.

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