Can I remain with my loved one/family member during the procedure?

This will be discussed in detail the day before of the day of your procedure. Typically if the patient is of pediatric age you will remain with your child prior to going back for the procedure and well as briefly present during induction.  I will be assessing your loved one and determine at that time how to proceed to decrease all anxiety surrounding the procedure. I will also be educating you regarding what to expect.  We have extensive anesthesia experience and often use humor or sillyness to defuse the situation or diminish anxiety.   There are offices that allow one parent to accompany the child back for the beginning or induction of the anesthetic while other offices do not allow this.   Regardless of the scenario it works very well both ways.  My experience has provided me with significant incite into this. I see less anxiety for both parent and child when the child is allowed to enter the procedure room with our staff WITHOUT parents. Children can sense your anxiety and this further instills fear in the child and negatively impacts the work done prior to but the child at ease.  My usually suggestion is to have parents allow us to walk back with out their assistance. At the completion of the procedure the dentist/surgeon will come out and discuss the case with you.  I remain with your child during recovery.  This allows me to assure a smooth and safe wake up period. Once I am assured I can remove myself from second to second assessment and he or she is awake and communicating with me I will then call for you to come back and see your child. Rest assured you child or loved one will have the nurse anesthesiologist at their side through the procedure and recovery. After we document and note discharge criteria are met we will discharge them home in your care.  I encourage two parents, family or friend to accompany on this day as I prefer to have an person sitting next to the child on the way home.

Oral sedation or  IV sedation? What’s the difference?

Oral sedation can take over an hour to take effect and has a modest effect on a patients anxiety level.  This does not assure a relaxed and comfortable experience for the patient.  Intravenous sedation (anesthesia) or general anesthesia offers the ability to rapidly obtain comfort and relaxation while under the direct care of a nurse anesthesiologist.  We are able to titrate the anesthetic medications to the level and assure safety.  Oral sedation can also continues its effects in the body for longer than desired following the procedure.  Our intravenous and inhalation medications are quickly metabolized and allow quicker return to a normal level of consciousness and function.

Anesthesia has made me sick before, will this happen again?

The particular medications we use typically do not cause nausea. These medications can actually help prevent nausea. While I am reasonably sure you will not be nauseous, it can happen. You should take precautions for the ride home. I have seen car rides coupled with recovering from anesthetic, a procedure and possibly swallowing blood during the procedure cause some nausea. This is usually short loved and resolves very quickly.

What about eating and drinking before or after my dental procedure?

This rule is to help assure safety and avoid dangerous aspiration of gastric contents during the procedure. You should not have anything to eat or drink after midnight the night before your procedure is scheduled.  Following the procedure we will have you drink a small amount f water and there after a slow return to your normal diet can proceed. Your dentist or surgeon may have diet restrictions however, so please check with them.

What are the possible complications if any?

While anesthesia is extremely safe there remain risks. We will cover these during informed consent.

What about my regular daily medications?

We generally feel it is safe to take your regular medications with no more than a sip of water the day of your sedation/anesthesia. If diabetic and insulin dependent you should consult your primary care provider of person managing your diabetes medications for further instructions. For any further questions feel free to call your nurse anesthesiologist for further clarification regarding your medication on the days leading up to and on the procedure day.

Do I need a driver?

Short answer, YES. You will not be able to drive for 24 hours following the utilization of anesthetic medications whether it is simply IV sedation of general anesthesia. Please have your driver accompany you on the day of your procedure. This person must hold a valid drivers license. You should not operate any machinery, use any sharp objects, sign any legal papers or make important decisions that require the full use of your faculties as the medication may impair your judgment for up to 24 hours

How can I pay?

Payment may be made in cash, cashier check, debit or by credit card at the dental/surgery office and is due the day of service. A deposit of $200.00 is required before anesthesia/sedation will be scheduled, and will then be applied to your final charges. Prime Anesthesia Consultants will supply you with a final receipt which will include billing codes you can submit to your insurance company that may assist you in collecting reimbursement should that be possible. Prime Anesthesia does not guarantee nor responsible for any reimbursement from your insurance company.

My child has special needs or medical conditions; can you still help?

Most children with special needs such as autism, downs syndrome, or other medical conditions can still have their dental procedure with general anesthesia or sedation done in the office depending on the degree and severity of their medical condition. An in-depth conversation with your nurse anesthesiologist will determine if the office or hospital is the safest and right choice for your child. If we have any concerns we will recommend the procedure being done in a hospital setting. While we are prepared for any situation, we are quick to recommend hospital setting if we feel that would be safest for your loved one.

I don’t want to feel anything… will I?

Our goal is to keep you or your loved one safe and comfortable. Anesthetic medications will be used through the procedure. We will either utilize inhalation induction for children or place an IV in an age appropriate patient. The IV is typically the most painful part and this is not a big deal at all. Usually I describe this as a brief “pick or sting”. After securing the IV or inhalation induction comfort is assured.

How long will the process take?

This depend on what is being done. The surgeon or dentist controls this and you should discuss this with them. Our anesthesia time adds 15-30 minutes on the beginning and end of the procedure to allow for preoperative discussion and recovery.

How and when will the nurse anesthesiologist contact me?

Your nurse anesthesiologist will contact you within 24-48 hours after you are schedule with the dental or surgeons office.   This phone call will be made by a Prime Anesthesia associate and will review your medical history, inform you of what to expect and answer any questions you may have.