The main questions I get during a consultation are always related to sedation.
- When will I wake up after surgery?
- How long will the sedation last?
- Can I wake up during the surgery itself.
- And can I not wake up?
Patients seemed to have stopped worrying about the surgery itself and possible unkind results. Perhaps it's because they know they will eventually get teeth that exceed their expectations.
Still, the fear of sedation remains with some of them. Let me try to allay those fears.
- Modern deep sedation allows the duration and depth of sleep to be precisely regulated. This means there are no unpleasant memories and patients do not need to remain under medical supervision for the night. They can leave as soon as the manipulation is complete.
- For the patient, the sedation lasts two seconds. Literally. One second - to fall asleep and one - to wake up.
- Often patients tell what they dreamed during sedation. Pleasant dreams! Sometimes it is possible that the patient remembers the surgeon's words from the beginning or the end of the operation, but perceives them as having happened during the manipulation.
- Don't skimp on the sedation - that's my advice! Without it, it can be extremely uncomfortable for both parties (the medical team and the patient).
Last but not least: good sedation cannot be cheap. You need many elements - a prepared team (anesthesiologist and anesthesiology nurse), modern equipment (anesthesia-breathing apparatus and a bunch of other things) and of course quality drugs.
There are always cheap substitutes, but would you risk...
