It is not uncommon for a person to be anxious if he or she has a forthcoming oral surgery. Use of anesthesia is what is also responsible for this anxiety. This is in spite of the fact that deaths due to dentistry sedation are very very rare. Death of patients sedated for dentistry is believed to be around 3 in a million every year.

Oral surgeons receive extensive training in anesthesia and are able to determine which kind of anesthesia is best suitable for you. They are also experienced at handling complications that may arise from the administration of anesthesia. In addition, they need to comply with the individual state rules and regulations on anesthesia administration. As a member of AAOMS, your oral surgeon must periodically undergo an onsite anesthesia inspection or re-evaluation as a part of association's office anesthesia evaluation program.

Modern anesthesia technology now makes it possible to perform even complex oral surgery with little or no discomfort. During surgery, one or more of the following is used to control pain and anxiety : local anesthesia, which numbs the surgical area; laughing gas or nitrous oxide-oxygen for analgesia to relax you; intravenous sedation for increased relaxation; and general anesthesia that puts you in the twilight zone (you are awake but won't be able to remember anything).

Anesthesia is a medication that reduces the patient’s awareness, discomfort and defensive physical responses during a surgical procedure. Now, all these things depend on they type of anesthesia given to the patient - local anesthesia or general anesthesia. Local anesthesia keeps you awake during the surgery, though you will not feel any sort of pain. General anesthesia will kind of put you in sleep and you will not remember anything once the effect of anesthesia is over. General anesthesia provides a controlled and more effective operating environment for the surgeons, but this has sometimes caused problems since the surgeon becomes unaware of physical limitations of the patient (eg - surgeon will be unaware of the extent to which the patient can open his or her mouth).

Some patients may experience side effects from the anesthesia after surgery. General anesthesia has more pronounced side effects than local anesthesia. Feeling cold, shivering, feeling nauseous or vomiting are common side effects. You should allow plenty of time to stay in the recovery room after surgery, until your surgeon and anesthesiologist release you. By the way, you are not allowed to drive after an oral surgery involving anesthesia.

Depending on your medical history and the surgical procedure, the surgeon may recommend local or general anesthesia. In many cases, surgeons allow you to take the final decision in cases where both are possible. You may want to make a decision based on how strong your heart is (you will have to witness those dentistry tools operating in your mouth) and how strong your pocket is (general anesthesia is costlier than local anesthesia).