Our Bay Area OSM offices offer modern anesthesia services to ensure you have little to no discomfort during your procedure. Depending on the specific operation, your surgeon may provide one or more of the following anesthesia options.
LOCAL ANESTHESIA
Local anesthesia is an injection that numbs the tissue in the surgical area. Your surgeon may use this before a tooth extraction or in combination with another type of sedation for more advanced surgery.
NITROUS OXIDE
Nitrous oxide, which is also referred to as laughing gas, helps you relax while remaining conscious. You wear a small mask over your nose and inhale the nitrous oxide-oxygen mixture throughout your procedure. The effects wear off soon after your mask is removed.
INTRAVENOUS SEDATION
Intravenous sedation allows you to enter a dreamlike state, in which you’re not quite conscious or unconscious but floating comfortably in between. Your surgeon can customize the strength of intravenous sedation to meet your needs.
GENERAL ANESTHESIA
General anesthesia usually combines intravenous and gaseous sedatives to put you to sleep for the duration of a surgical procedure. In addition to making you unconscious, general anesthesia also prevents your brain from responding to pain signals or reflexes.
Your surgeon discusses your sedation options during your pre-op consultation and provides a recommendation. They will explain the benefits and risks of each type and answer all your questions.