Modern anesthesia is extremely safe

In the hands of a licensed, board-certified physician anesthesiologist, receiving anesthesia is extremely safe. Here we will describe some of the common side effects of anesthesia, and touch on the rare complications that we do not expect to see.

Benefits of anesthesia

Anesthesia for dental procedures is used most commonly in two circumstances. The first is when a patient requires a longer treatment, possibly including tooth extractions. For these patients, treatment without anesthesia might require multiple visits to the dentist’s office. Using anesthesia, your child will sleep comfortably and painlessly during a single treatment.

In the second circumstance, a patient may not be able to comfortably cooperate with dental treatment while awake. In this case, dental care under anesthesia may be the only way that your dentist can adequately examine and address your child’s oral health.

In either situation, anesthesia for dental treatment is only used when necessary, to ensure your child continues to enjoy healthy teeth and gums.

Common risks of anesthesia

There are some side effects of anesthesia that are a little more common. Be confident that your anesthesiologist makes every effort to minimize these side effects, but they may still occur.

• Nausea and vomiting

• Fatigue

• Irritability

• Bruising at site of IV insertion

• Sore throat

• Nosebleed

• Minor injury to the lips, gums, or teeth

Rare risks of anesthesia

Millions of patients undergo anesthesia safely every year, and many anesthesiologists will spend their entire careers without witnessing any of the rare risks of anesthesia. Wherever possible, we evaluate and manage our patients to avoid these circumstances entirely. Rare risks include but are not limited to:

• Drug reactions and uncommon side effects

• Anaphylaxis, which is a rare and dangerous allergic reaction

• Malignant hyperthermia, a very rare and inherited reaction to anesthesia medicines

For a more complete list of rare anesthesia complications, please review the consent for anesthesia services which you will see on the day of you or your child’s procedure.