Should I Use Laughing Gas for Wisdom Teeth

Jul 01, 2022

The Wisdom teeth are your last set of molars emerging between 17 and 25 and are extra teeth located behind the back molars and often erupt impacted to remain in the jaw. The lack of space in your mouth is the primary reason why wisdom teeth do not emerge correctly.

If you have an impacted or correctly emerged wisdom tooth, your dentist might recommend removing it to prevent complications later. You must undergo an examination at a dental clinic where the dentist treating you determines the position of the wisdom teeth by conducting an oral exam and taking x-rays. Dentists might not recommend the removal of healthy wisdom teeth that have emerged correctly. Unfortunately, if you have impacted or incorrectly appeared wisdom teeth, you are suggested to get the problematic tooth removed to prevent issues later.

Is Your Initial Consultation with the Dental Clinic Essential?

The consultation with the clinic is incredibly essential because it enables dentists at the practice to determine the state of the wisdom tooth in your mouth and the complexness of its removal.

At times wisdom teeth emerge partially from the gums, and bacteria remain trapped in the openings around them. The dentists assess whether you have infections, swelling or long-term damage to the surrounding jawbone, gums and teeth. Wisdom teeth without sufficient room to erupt for people can pressure the neighbouring teeth compelling them to shift from their normal position resulting in crowding and crooked teeth. If the wisdom tooth remains impacted, it can destroy the neighbouring jawbone and teeth.

Another reason for the visit to the clinic is to discuss your anesthesia options for wisdom teeth removal. Removing your third molars requires surgery, and surgeries, undoubtedly need anesthesia to ensure your comfort. The dentist explains different anesthesia you can receive depending on your dental anxiety level. If you are not fearful of dental procedures, you can consider minimal anesthesia by requesting nitrous oxide. However, most patients prefer intravenous or general anesthesia during wisdom tooth extraction. The visit enables you to discuss the tooth removal procedure and anesthesia options to appropriately prepare yourself for wisdom tooth surgery.

Will Laughing Gas Still Cause Pain?

Laughing gas, alternatively called nitrous oxide, is inhalation sedation that raises your pain threshold. Nitrous oxide doesn’t make you sleep and is an appropriate option for patients with healthy wisdom teeth that are not challenging to remove. Nitrous oxide relaxes you taking your mind off the procedure.

While laughing gas raises your pain threshold, you receive local anesthesia in the mouth to block pain impulses from the wisdom teeth and the surrounding tissues. Therefore you can rest assured the wisdom teeth extraction procedure proceeds without causing you any discomfort.

Can I Drive Home after the Laughing Gas Treatment?

If you underwent wisdom teeth removal surgery from the sedation dentists Brantford receiving laughing gas, you would likely recover from the sedation within a few minutes after the professional removes the mask over your nose. Laughing gas doesn’t leave behind any side effects that make you drowsy or incapable of operating vehicles or machinery. The dentist might allow you to proceed home, driving yourself back because you don’t feel the after-effects of laughing gas which dissipates quickly from your body.

In addition, soon after completing the extraction of the wisdom teeth, the dentists administer oxygen by stopping nitrous oxide to ensure you are free from the effects of the gas.

Out of the different anesthesia options offered by dentists when performing intensive dental procedures, nitrous oxide is considered better for children and patients that are medically compromised. The primary benefit of laughing gas is that the effects wear off quickly, unlike intravenous sedation or general anesthesia.

Laughing gas might not be an appropriate solution for people with dental anxiety who might often fear the wisdom teeth extraction procedure and the discomfort associated with it. Most people prefer oral conscious sedation or general anesthesia for this relatively straightforward procedure. However, if you are willing to challenge your wisdom teeth, the dentist isn’t going to challenge your wisdom so long as you are not overly anxious about dental procedures and are comfortable receiving nitrous oxide before you receive local anesthesia in your mouth for pain management.

If you must have a wisdom tooth removed and are uncomfortable with receiving complete anesthesia, you can discuss laughing gas with Monarch Dentistry to remove the wisdom tooth with minimal anesthesia.