Frequently Asked Questions
Why General Anesthesia (GA)?
The goals of general anesthesia are to: provide safe, efficient, and effective dental care; eliminate anxiety; reduce untoward movement and reaction to dental treatment; aid in treatment of the mentally, physically, or medically compromised patient; and eliminate the patient’s pain response.
General anesthesia is recommended for patients who cannot cooperate due to a lack of psychological or emotional maturity and/or mental, physical, or medical disability; patients for whom local anesthesia is ineffective because of acute infection, anatomic variations, or allergy; the extremely uncooperative, fearful, anxious, or uncommunicative child or adolescent; patients requiring significant surgical procedures; patients for whom the use of general anesthesia may protect the developing psyche and/or reduce medical risk; and patients requiring immediate, comprehensive oral/ dental care.
Dental treatment under GA is an effective way to provide medically necessary care to those children who may be cognitively immature, highly anxious or fearful, have special needs, or medically-compromised and unable to receive treatment in a traditional office setting.
Delivering dental treatment under GA can have significant positive effects on the quality of life for children and their families.
Who Benefits from General Anesthesia?
Some children and patients with special health care needs have treatment conditions, acute situational anxiety, uncooperative age-appropriate behavior, immature cognitive functioning, disabilities, or medical conditions that require GA to undergo dental procedures in a safe and humane fashion.
Included in this group are infants and children who have not yet developed the ability to comprehend the need for their treatment nor the effective and appropriate skills to cope with invasive and potentially uncomfortable and psychologically threatening procedures.
Research indicates that GA has additional benefits to children and families, including:
Improvement in the quality of life by allowing for extensive dental rehabilitation in children who are experiencing dental pain and difficulties in eating and sleeping, and whose parents have concerns related to the child’s nutrition and behavior.
Facilitating dental access for very young patients, patients with special health care needs and/or patients with a high degree of dental fear or anxiety.
About 16% of all general anesthetics administered in the United States annually are administered in order to provide dental care.
Is General Anesthesia Safe?
There are always inherent risks where general anesthesia is used, and although they represent a small percentage of patients, cases are carefully screened to ensure the best outcome for our patients. A pre-surgical work up is always needed, along with medical clearances from any medical specialists. Nurses and anesthesiologists screen and interview/asses all patients. The risk of a serious reaction to general anesthesia in toddlers is less than the risk to the child from riding in a car. There are special rules for eating and drinking at home before the procedure which further minimize risks. Pre-existing medical conditions, such as asthma or diabetes, can raise the risk of complications, and in rare cases, patients may have allergic reactions to the drugs. Side effects of anesthesia include nausea, vomiting and dizziness. By utilizing a board certified pediatric anesthesiologist in an outpatient hospital setting, we minimize the risks to the child to as low as possible. Children go home the same day of surgery, and in most cases return to school the next day.
Why is there so much paperwork such as history and physicals and consults with pediatricians?
Your pediatrician knows your child's health history the best and MUST be informed of the use of general anesthesia. We need them to clear your child for surgery in order for us to proceed, along with any other pediatric specialists your child sees. This paperwork must be completed within 30 days of the surgery and is a strict requirement by the hospitals. Forms will be provided to you and can be faxed or emailed back once completed by your child’s pediatrician.
What about after surgery?
Once your child is out of surgery, the post op recovery nurses are closely watching them to ensure proper vital signs as your child awakens. We will allow parents back as soon as possible, but this is subject to clearance by the anesthesiologist and the recovery nurse. The dental surgeon will review post operatively all dental treatment completed, and give post op instructions/emergency numbers. Patients typically are discharged within 2 hours of waking up, and most are able to return to school the next day.
What are the next steps?
Connect with us at staff@PalmBluffsSurgeryCenter.com or call our Surgical Coordinator at 559-492-8098 within the next 24 hours to provide us with your medical and dental insurance information.
Review, sign, and submit completed Palm Bluffs Surgery Center agreement paperwork, including any copays and deductibles and non-covered services.
Schedule a surgery date at a specific hospital with one of our surgeons (1-3 months).
Complete and provide History/Physical forms and any medical consult clearances needed within the next 30 days from date of surgery, from your child pediatrician or pediatric specialist and fax back to 559-412-2645 or by email to staff@PalmBluffsSurgeryCenter.com. This must be done within a 30 day window prior to the surgery.
Await a pre-surgery phone call from the hospital regarding time and instructions for surgery (must follow pre surgery guidelines).
Complete full mouth rehab.
Full surgical report and X-rays provided to referring doctors for routine care and follow-up care.
We look forward to completing your child’s dental care needs safely, compassionately, and with the highest and utmost quality of care. We treat our patients as our own children, and only seek the best, most ethical/moral treatment and outcomes.