 Lakewood Ranch Cosmetic Dentistry
We believe in hugging your dentist after you get your perfect smile.
When is General Anesthesia Used in Dentistry?
General anesthesia is determined on a case-by-case basis and may be recommended for patients that:
- Experience high anxiety due to fear or low tolerance to pain – it can help to prevent or address dental phobias (fear of the dentist or oral surgery);
- Have an allergy to local aesthetic or for whom local anesthetic is not effective in pain control;Â
- Require complex or invasive oral surgery procedures, or oral surgery procedures that would otherwise require multiple visits if performed without sedation;
- Experience a choking sensation (an exaggerated gag reflex), or have difficulty opening their mouth for a sustained period of time;
- Are unable to remain still during the dental treatment (due to a mental or physical disability).
If you’re planning to “be asleep” or “be sedated” for your oral surgery, keep in mind that the effects of general anesthesia may take several hours to wear off. Plan ahead: Oral surgeons typically require patients to have an adult drive them home and to stay with them for several hours after the procedure.
At Smiles at Lakewood Ranch, your comfort during oral surgery procedures is important to us. Call us at 941-216-3803 for more information.
Learn more about cosmetic dentistry at Smiles at Lakewood Ranch
Bone Grafting
Damage to the jawbone can occur in areas where there are missing teeth. The jawbone can deteriorate and change the facial structure and make it unsuitable for a dental implant. Luckily, today’s technology can repair the inadequate bone in preparation for dental implants through bone grafting, restoring functionality and esthetic appearance.
Botox®
Botox® is composed of botulinum toxin, a form of a purified protein used to treat a number of cosmetic and dental issues. It is injected into the facial muscles and blocks the nerve transmission to those muscles. As a result, the dynamic motion in the skin is relaxed, allowing wrinkles to smooth and disappear. Common injection sites include the forehead, the area between the eyebrows, the corners of the eyes, and the sides of the chin.
Dermal Fillers
For our patients in the Lakewood Ranch, FL area looking to regain the youthful fullness of their face, dermal fillers are a safe and effective way to decrease the wrinkles around the mouth and eyes, plump the lips, and soften facial creases. A faster and less expensive alternative to a surgical facelift, dermal fillers have a similar effect without the recovery time. Effective and easy, this has become a popular treatment.
While the use of a local anesthetic to prevent pain is sufficient for many dental patients, sedation or general anesthesia may be appropriate to ensure the safe and efficient delivery of dental procedures. Most commonly given by means of an injection or as an inhalant, general anesthesia describes a mixture of potent drugs that are used to induce a sleep-like state. Sedation and general anesthesia are safely and effectively used for thousands of dental procedures each year.Â
Local Anesthesia
Depending on the dental procedure, your dentist may determine that you only need a relatively small area to be numbed during surgery so that your visit is comfortable and pain-free. There are two kinds of numbing injections
When performing oral procedures that require numbing, dentists employ two kinds of local anesthesia, block injections, which numbs an entire region of your mouth, such as one side of your lower jaw, and infiltration injections, which numb a smaller area.
Socket Preservation
When a tooth is extracted, the procedure leaves behind a small hole where the tooth once was. This socket can be very sensitive at first, which is why your provider may recommend socket preservation to go along with your extraction.
A socket or alveolar ridge preservation procedure involves placing a bone graft into the socket, where the tooth once was. The goal of socket preservation is to improve the appearance of the remaining teeth and gums and to make the process of getting a dental implant at a later visit less complicated.
Soft Tissue Grafting
Soft tissue grafting is often necessary to combat gum recession. Periodontal disease, trauma, aging, over-brushing, and poor tooth positioning are the leading causes of gum recession, which can lead to tooth-root exposure in severe cases. Recent developments in dental technology have made soft tissue grafting more predictable and less intrusive.
Surgical Extractions
Sometimes trauma, gum disease, cracked or broken teeth, and tooth decay can be too significant, and despite our best efforts to save the tooth, extractions may be the best option. Here at Smiles at Lakewood Ranch, we will make the process as comfortable and pain-free as possible.
Wisdom Teeth Removal
Oral health care providers recommend removing wisdom teeth before they become a more difficult and painful problem -- and to avoid a more complicated surgery. Whether your wisdom teeth have emerged or not, we offer a variety of sedation types to meet any need and ensure that your experience is comfortable and pain-free.
You deserve to smile big and laugh around friends and family.Â
A Beautiful Smile Restored!
In this Smiles at Lakewood Ranch case study, our patient Rosetta explains how she had an accident and broke her front tooth. Another dentist told her some bad news and, wow, is she glad she came to the experts at Smiles at Lakewood Ranch instead!
Reach out to us today - Because you deserve a confident smile!
We believe in life-changing dentistry. Call us today at 941-216-3803 to talk about getting the smile of your dreams! You can also use the contact form to email us.
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