How much does Sedation Dentistry Cost?
As of 2022, the cost of general anesthesia to perform sleep dentistry range from $400 to $600 per hour. This includes the cost of drugs administered and recovery time. On average, the patient can expect to spend about $500/hr plus the dentistry treatment rendered. The cost mostly depends on the duration of the dental treatment. In general, the longer and more dental procedures that are required the lower the cost of the hourly rate.
In-office general anesthesia has proven a useful and cost-effective means to assist phobic patients, those afraid of the dentist, the behaviorally or medically challenged, as well as those with gagging problems, so these patients can receive dental care.
What is Sedation and General Anesthesia Dentistry?
While it is generally accepted that the prevalence of dental caries is decreasing, there remain an important group of adults who have high treatment needs and for whom general anesthesia provides a useful treatment option. The general anesthesia or sleep dentistry approach to pain management in dentistry includes pharmacological techniques that are used to modify anxiety and pain in the dental patient.
Although most patients can be successfully treated without its use, general anesthesia has been an important part of dentistry since the 1840s. The general anesthesia that’s used in dentistry is typically less invasive than its use in the rest of the medical world; unlike other types of surgery, oral, periodontal and implant surgeries do not typically require the use of paralytic drugs and consequently can be administered without the additional use of an intubation tube that facilitates breathing.
There are also similarities between medical and dental general anesthesia – like its medical counterpart, the use of this anesthetic method in dentistry renders the patient totally unconscious and unable to feel pain during dental procedures.
In this unconscious state, there is also an absence of fear and anxiety; it’s for this reason that general anesthesia is sometimes used not only for complex and long dental treatment but is also recommended for adults who experience acute dental anxiety and phobia.
The administration of conscious IV sedation and general anesthesia is an integral part of our dental practice serving the city of Fort Lauderdale. Our practice is committed to the safe and effective use of these modalities by appropriately certified and trained dentists and staff.
Dentist near Fort Lauderdale who does General Anesthesia in Broward County
It is a highly regulated area of dentistry in Florida. Beyond appropriate education and training for the administering dentist, general anesthesia regulations also commonly address requirements for safety equipment and auxiliary personnel.
Our dental clinic follows the American Dental Association guidelines for the administration of general anesthesia by our dental anesthesiologist and staff.
What is the difference between General Anesthesia and Local Anesthesia?
It’s important to remember that general anesthesia is not the name of the drug that’s being administered. Instead, it differentiates itself from local anesthesia in that it numbs the body and puts the mind to sleep. Most commonly given by means of an intravenous (IV) or as an inhalant, general anesthesia describes a mixture of potent drugs that are used to induce a sleep-like state in those to whom it’s given.
If you’re considering “going under,” keep in mind that the effects of general anesthesia may take several hours to wear off. Plan ahead: Dental anesthesiologists typically require a patient to arrange for a ride home and a few hours of aftercare following procedures in which general anesthesia is used. If you are not able to make appropriate ride accommodations or do not have a companion to stay with you at your home for a few hours following your surgical procedure, your dental anesthesiologist may recommend a longer stay at the office to ensure complete recuperation from the anesthetics used.