Will an Oral Surgery Procedure Hurt?

Oral surgery is a term that covers a range of procedures. Wisdom tooth extraction is a type of oral surgery. So is root canal therapy, gum flap surgery, and corrective jaw surgery. Each procedure is different in its level of invasiveness, duration, and recovery period.

The way a dentist or oral surgeon administers anesthetic for different procedures also varies. This brings us to one of the most common questions that patients ask their dentists: Will an oral surgery procedure hurt?

Pain management, anesthesia, and oral surgery

Different types of oral surgery may be vastly different, but they will have common aspects. As an example, most oral surgeries require an incision to open the gums. Others, like root canal therapy, require the oral surgeon to create an access point to the inner tooth.

Most types of oral surgeries also involve the removal of a tooth or dental tissue. This is the case with tooth extraction, root canals, and different treatments for severe gum disease. Other surgeries require the addition of splints, grafts, fillers, or implants. Lastly, most surgeries require the closing or suturing of a surgical site.

Dentists and oral surgeons must use pain management to keep their patients comfortable for the duration of the procedure.

Anesthesia and sedation for oral surgery

There are two approaches to pain management during a dental procedure. The first is to numb the surgical site by blocking the nerves from transmitting sensation to receptors. Dentists and oral surgeons use an anesthetic to achieve this. These are the options that a dentist will choose from:

• A topical anesthetic that numbs the spot where the dentist will inject the local anesthetic
• Local anesthetic to numb a surgical site for a minor procedure like tooth extraction
• IV anesthetic that numbs a larger region for more involved procedures like complex wisdom tooth extraction or bone graft surgery
• General anesthesia, where an oral surgeon puts the patient under for an intensive oral surgery like jaw or cleft palate repair

The second approach is to diminish or take away the consciousness of the patient. This becomes an option when the patient requires intensive oral surgery, or when they suffer from anxiety. To this end, dentists will use sedation dentistry, which involves an IV anesthetic or general anesthesia. This approach goes by the name of sleep dentistry or sedation dentistry.

Pain management during recovery

The previous section demonstrates that oral surgery is a painless procedure, thanks to anesthesia and sedation. Dentists provide detailed after-care instructions that cover pain management during recovery. For starters, the dentist will advise their patient to take their first dose of pain medication before the anesthetic from surgery wears off. They will either prescribe medication or advise their patient to use over-the-counter drugs.

At-home pain management involves the use of ice packs, salt rinses for swelling, rest, and elevation of the head. The dentist will brief the patient on the type and duration of discomfort to expect during recovery, including warning signs that require medical help.

Do you currently need oral surgery?

We have at our disposal an excellent team that will guide you through your surgical procedure. Contact us to talk to our dentist and find out how they do everything to provide pain-free oral surgery.

Request an appointment here: https://adcroundrock.com or call Round Rock Dental Office at (512) 720-5868 for an appointment in our Round Rock office.

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