Wisdom tooth surgery under general anesthesia? Pro and con

Almost every person has to go through it at least once: the wisdom tooth surgery. Few people like this necessary intervention, but the removal of the wisdom teeth poses an immense challenge, especially for anxious patients. Many are therefore considering general anesthesia. Read below what costs are to be expected and what speaks for or against them.

The bad news is there – the wisdom teeth have to be out. Many people feel uncomfortable with this procedure because, to be honest, it is not the simplest form of treatment. Many cursing wonder why nature has burdened us with these troublemakers in the first place. In fact, there is a really clever idea behind it. Actually.

Why do we have wisdom teeth??

Evolution has choked on human wisdom teeth. When our ancestors did not cook meals, but consumed them directly after picking and hunting, it was time to chew, chew and chew again. The additional molars were an indispensable aid in getting the food, appropriately chopped, into the stomach for digestion.

The late breakthrough, which only occurred in adulthood, also gave the wisdom tooth its name: it is only when we are older and hopefully wiser that the last molars are worthwhile.

This delay created an immense, evolutionary advantage: dental care had not yet been invented and, despite a healthier diet, a valuable molar tooth quickly fell out. The wisdom teeth served as a kind of reserve or replenishment, so that the raw food could be processed even in advanced age.

Why bother the wisdom teeth?

Biology, which is actually as clever as the genus, went wrong homo began to shrink her jaw. Probably because human ancestors increasingly had to eat meat and chew less and had the tools to shred their food bite-size. The subsequent preparation by heat made chewing even easier.

The shrinking jaw took the place of the wisdom teeth and shipped today’s one Homo sapiens to the dentist’s chair.

Nowadays, there are only a small number of people who either have enough space in their jaws or no attachments for wisdom teeth. However, most of them have to worry about their dentition position and dental health. The splendidly developed wisdom teeth, which have not completely broken through due to lack of space, press on the neighboring teeth, provide gum pockets and pose a risk of periodontitis.

Wisdom teeth removal: OP costs

The cost question can be answered briefly and painlessly: the intervention is carried out by the health insurance companies. This also applies to the so-called germectomy: this procedure removes the wisdom teeth in the baby stage. At this point in time, the tooth germs only had their crowns, but not yet the roots of the teeth, which is why they are not yet firmly seated in the bone.

Take a deep breath: everything is less bad than it looks.

This is how the wisdom tooth surgery works

What patients have to reckon with during the operation depends on the nature of the late interferers. Often the wisdom teeth can be pulled in the upper jaw because the bone tissue is more flexible and the tooth is easier to grasp. The thick lower jaw cooking, however, is not so generous, which is why parts of the bone often have to be cut open or the tooth is still split in the jaw in order to be able to finally pull it. For this reason, many people can also see the recent wisdom tooth operation: The notorious swelling of the cheek with bruises results from the processing of the bone.

Most people have about a week to deal with the aftermath of wisdom tooth surgery. Pain can still occur in the first few days, but this can be alleviated with usual pain relievers. But beware: Aspirin may help many people with headaches, but the blood-thinning active ingredient is counterproductive in a freshly sewn wound in the mouth. Surgery should strictly follow your dentist’s prescriptions.

When everything has healed and swollen well, the dentist pulls the strings at the follow-up appointment.

Of course, the intervention takes place under local anesthesia. Using a special syringe, the dentist injects an active ingredient that numbs the tooth, gums and the surrounding region. The only sensation of pain therefore comes from the anesthetic injection.

Wisdom tooth surgery: types of anesthesia

However, many sufferers find the removal of their wisdom teeth uncomfortable despite this local anesthetic. Unlike conventional drilling, wisdom tooth surgery is often a bit rough. The measures just described lead to a stronger but harmless physical pressure in the head and jaw area, which sometimes puts the patient to the test of patience.

Treatment is a necessary but immense challenge, especially for people who are afraid of dentists, also known as anxiety patients. Many are also faced with repeated surgery, since only one or two teeth are extracted per treatment for reasons of preservation.

In addition to local anesthesia, most dental and maxillofacial practices also offer stronger anesthetic measures. If you suffer from pronounced nervousness, for example, you can take advantage of mild sedation. The intervention is still perceived consciously, but laughing gas or another similar medication creates a more relaxed, relaxed mood.

If you don’t want to see anything from the action, you can use general anesthesia. The artificial sleep state ensures that nobody notices anything. This is often used to remove all four teeth at once, which means that the wisdom teeth chapter can be completed in just one treatment. The fear of pain despite anesthesia is also superfluous if patients do not notice anything at all.

Simply oversleeping the wisdom tooth surgery: a sensible solution for anxious patients.

What happens during general anesthesia??

First of all: It is not the dentist, but a specially trained anesthetist, also called anesthetist, who is responsible for the anesthetic. This doctor will ask for information about possible allergies and general health in a preliminary interview. General anesthesia is a procedure that always involves certain risks and must therefore be well prepared.

During the operation, the anesthesiologist is present all the time and is only responsible for monitoring vital functions (blood pressure, heart rate).

General anesthesia is aimed at three things: putting the patient to sleep, letting them feel no pain, and artificially relaxing the muscles so that there are no unwanted protective reflexes during the procedure. It is therefore a kind of potpourri of various drugs, the effect of which must be monitored closely. In addition, these active substances impair the ability to breathe independently, which is why artificial ventilation is required via a small tube in the trachea.

As soon as the dentist or maxillofacial surgeon has done his duty, the anesthetist initiates the waking up with medication – however, it usually takes a few hours until the sleepiness is completely over.

Note the risks of general anesthesia

In fairness, however, it should be mentioned that the intervention is only half the battle. After removing all four wisdom teeth, restrictions and, unfortunately, pain can be expected for the coming days – the healing process cannot be overslept, but can be survived with soup and the right painkillers (as already mentioned: no aspirin!). However, the side effects and risks of general anesthesia are more important for decision-making. Although it is a very safe procedure, complications such as intolerance can never be ruled out 100% – the responsible anesthetist offers the best explanation for this. If there are side effects, it is usually a harmless and quickly temporary nausea after the operation, which sometimes leads to vomiting. This condition can be well preserved with medication, but especially after an operation in the oral cavity, the fresh wounds need as much protection as possible.

Wisdom teeth removal: General anesthetic costs

The question of costs must also be considered: in most cases, the statutory health insurance companies only take over local anesthesia. You can only fight for the assumption of costs if the fear of the dentist is very pronounced and proven. Privately insured persons must check the tariffs of your policy and be sure to clarify who is responsible for the costs before the intervention. There is no exact price for general anesthesia, but the cost is usually between 150 and 300 euros.

Wisdom tooth surgery with general anesthesia – yes and no?

Those who are considering general anesthesia are best advised to first obtain an assessment from the dentist about the scope of the procedure. It is also important to call up any previous experience – if vomiting has already occurred after general anesthesia, it should be considered together with the dentist and anesthetist how useful this form of anesthesia is. The question of costs is also one of the decisive aspects: Is there enough budget at all if the health insurance does not pay? So general anesthesia considerations during wisdom tooth surgery depend on completely individual factors. The most important thing is to get a good explanation from the responsible anesthesiologist and thus to know all the risks.

Do you have any further questions about wisdom tooth surgery under general anesthesia? Your dentist in Teltow will be happy to advise you on your next appointment.

We wish you all the best

Your dental practice Saupe & black

General anesthesia in dental surgery – process and costs

General anesthesia at the dentist: costs procedure How does general anesthesia work at the dentist? Find out everything about the risks, costs and the…
General anesthesia costs for 2020 wisdom teeth

General anesthetic costs for wisdom teeth: Before the procedure, the general anesthetic costs for the wisdom teeth surgery must be clarified with the…
Wisdom tooth, extraction, pain, teeth, symptoms, after, pulling, headache, up

wisdom tooth The wisdom teeth or third molars (as they are often called in medicine) are the last teeth that break through the gums. They usually appear…
General anesthesia at the dentist »cost factors, price examples and more

What does general anesthesia cost at the dentist?? For almost all treatments at the dentist, local anesthesia is sufficient to make the procedure…