Anasthesia & Sedation
Anesthesia options are just as important as the rest of the treatment plan. Southwest Virginia Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery offers a variety of anesthesia options to meet your comfort level. Our experienced staff is fully trained in assisting with intravenous sedation in our state-of-the-art office setting. Patients are continuously monitored during surgery as well as during the recover stage.
LOCAL ANESTHESIA
Local Anesthesia is the most commonly used and is also referred to as “numbing”. Many oral and maxillofacial procedures can be accomplished by using local anesthesia. Even when additional sedation is required, local anesthesia is also used.
NITROUS OXIDE SEDATION
Nitrous oxide is often called “laughing gas” because is makes some patients feel abnormally happy. Nitrous oxide is not a sleeping agent but is considered a light sedative. It is administered through a mask that covers your nose and is delivered with oxygen. This allows Dr. Scroggins to provide the necessary combination of gases to safely provide sedation and pain control for the individual patient’s needs.
Once sedation has taken place, local anesthesia is administered to ensure pain control. Patients are continuously monitored during all nitrous oxide procedures. Pre-operative instructions will be provided to you if your treatment plan will require this anesthesia option.
IV SEDATION
Intravenous, or IV sedation, is an anesthesia technique available to qualified individuals to provide a heavier level of sedation. IV sedation often puts patients “to sleep”. This anesthesia option requires a consultation prior to the surgical appointment to ensure all patients receive the pre-operative instructions which including no eating or drinking for 8 hours prior to the surgery.
If you take medications for other health reasons, you will need to discuss this with Dr. Scroggins prior to the surgical appointment. Small exceptions can be made for necessary medications but must be discussed and planned with Dr. Scroggins prior to the surgery appointment. Necessary meds can be taken with the smallest sip of water necessary to get them down.
All of your clinical staff are certified in BLS and Dr. Scroggins is certified in ACLS. SWVOMS is also certified for administration of anesthesia by the Virginia Society of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (VSOMS) and the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (AAOMS).
What to Expect
Patients will be monitored during and after the surgery. As our staff prepares patients for surgery, an IV will be started in the hand or arm. Oxygen and /or nitrous oxide is also given to the patient. After surgery, patients are closely monitored in our recovery area.
Patients are given appropriate medications for their size, age and the nature of their surgery however some patients take longer to recover than others. We will keep you and your guardian informed about your post-operative recover. You will also leave with written and oral post-operative care instructions.
All patients must be accompanied and/or transported by a responsible guardian and should be carefully observed as long as they are taking pain medication. Sedated patients should not drive for 24 hours after the procedure or within 8 hours of taking narcotic pain medication.