In complicated cases or if all four wisdom teeth have to be removed at once, general anesthesia is recommended for wisdom tooth surgery. General anesthesia for dental surgery can either take place in the hospital or in the dental practice.
The patient is unconscious and does not feel any pain.
General anesthesia for a wisdom tooth operation requires special equipment and the presence of an anesthetist. After a detailed anamnesis, information and reflection period, general anesthesia begins on the day of the operation with the induction of anesthesia. For this, the patient must appear sober.
There are three phases of general anesthesia:
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To monitor the patient, an ECG is connected, an intravenous access is made and a finger clip is attached to oxygenate the patient. Before the patient loses consciousness, he breathes in pure oxygen through a breathing mask while the drugs that induce general anesthesia are administered through the port.
Find out more: Anesthetics - Which drugs are used?
Then the patient is ventilated through a tube through the nose during the second phase of general anesthesia. The patient sleeps and pain stimuli as well as reflexes and voluntary muscle activity are switched off. The dentist can now remove the wisdom teeth.
As soon as the dental procedure is over, the anesthetist can initiate the wake-up phase. After waking up, the patient has to stay there for observation.
also read: Anesthesia at the dentist
Usually the patient is intubated under general anesthesia. A ventilation hose, which is led over the mouth to the windpipe, provides the oxygen supply.
$config[ads_text2] not foundHowever, this form of ventilation is not possible for dental interventions under general anesthesia. Therefore, for wisdom tooth surgery, ventilation is provided through the nose through a tube. The oxygen saturation is constantly monitored using a finger clip (pulse oximeter) on the finger.
General anesthesia is a procedure that has been used successfully every day in hospitals around the world for many years. A distinction is made between the risks that can occur with general anesthesia and the unpleasant but mostly harmless side effects afterwards.
The risks include e.g.
A detailed explanation and anamnesis discussion before the operation reduce the probability of these possible risks. Should there be complications during general anesthesia at the dentist, the anesthetist present can intervene quickly.
Side effects that are likely to occur include, among others
nausea
Vomit
a headache
Disorientation
Tremble
You might also be interested in: Risks of anesthesia
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Depending on how long the wisdom tooth operation lasts, the longer the general anesthetic will take. The induction of anesthesia is usually quite quick, while the waking up phase can take over 30 minutes.
The observation period after waking up from general anesthesia is determined by the anesthetist and depends on the general condition of the patient.
$config[ads_text2] not foundSince general anesthesia uses the nose to remove the wisdom teeth, a cold or other respiratory illnesses pose a serious problem. You can narrow the airways so that intubation for ventilation through the nose is not possible.
This means that you should wait with the wisdom tooth operation under general anesthesia until the cold has subsided and the nasal mucosa has swollen and the airways are clear again.
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Under certain conditions, the costs of general anesthesia during surgery on the wisdom tooth are covered by the statutory health insurance. This applies e.g. For
Children under 12 years of age who do not show sufficient cooperation with the dentist
Patients with mental or physical disabilities who interfere with wisdom tooth surgery
Patients diagnosed with anxiety disorder
Patients with a known allergy or other medical conditions that speak against the local anesthetic
severe cases where the procedure cannot be performed under local anesthesia
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The best thing to do is to ask your own health insurance company directly whether the costs will be covered.
If the health insurance company does not cover the costs of general anesthesia for the wisdom tooth operation, the dentist or anesthetist will settle the bill. The patient is informed about the costs and receives an invoice after the operation.
The cost varies depending on the difficulty and duration of the procedure. Roughly estimated, you have to reckon with 250-300 € per hour.
Advantages of general anesthesia in wisdom tooth surgery
the patient sleeps (this is beneficial for children and anxious patients)
Complicated wisdom tooth operations are possible in one piece
patients who are unable to cooperate can also be treated
Disadvantages of general anesthesia for wisdom tooth surgery
more expensive than local anesthesia
the presence of an anesthetist and appropriate equipment is necessary
is usually not covered by the health insurance
there are risks and side effects associated with general anesthesia
You have to be sober before the operation
Medical supervision is required after the operation
Benefits of local anesthesia for wisdom tooth surgery
uncomplicated
many years of experience of dentists
quick procedure
no observation of the patient necessary after the operation
The patient is allowed to eat and drink before the operation
free of charge for those with statutory health insurance
Disadvantages of local anesthesia for wisdom tooth surgery
the patient is conscious and notices everything
the practitioner depends on the cooperation of the patient
If the operation takes longer or is complicated, you have to re-inject
no reliable elimination of pain in the inflamed tissue with local anesthesia
Read also below: Local anesthesia at the dentist
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