MIND

Sedation Options

When I had my surgery I was offered three different treatment options: local anaesthetic (LA) only; LA + mild IV sedation; and general anaesthetic (GA). GA was out of the question due to cost (besides being unnecessary), so it was between LA and LA+IV.

IV came with a $950 extra cost and means you have to either have a chaperone to drive you home, or stay in a recovery centre* for the 24 hours following the procedure.

* e.g. Aura Aftercare, ~$1,750/night including pick-up from the surgery.

This is something you should discuss with your surgeon because everyone is different, but in my case I went for LA only. It was intense, but I can honestly say I’ve had more unpleasant experiences getting root canals and cleanings at my general dentist, and overall I found it to be a very positive experience. I think the factors that went into this were:

  • My sister came along with me to surgery and stayed with me for a few days afterward. Having a close friend or family member with you significantly reduces stress and anxiety.

  • Preparation – I spent some time in the weeks beforehand brushing my teeth lying down and breathing through my nose, to get used to having things in my mouth in this position.

  • Mindset – I geared myself up mentally for a long and arduous experience, and in the end it flew by and wasn’t such a big deal.

  • Basic relaxation techniques – each new sensation gave me a little jolt of anxiety, but when this happened I focused on breathing through my nose and relaxing any tension in my chest.

  • I also find that keeping my eyes closed most of the time makes for a much more relaxing experience.

  • A high degree of confidence in Dr Coppelson and the rest of the team.

Recovery

Regardless of sedation options, I highly recommend having a close friend or family member with you during, and in the few days after surgery. My only real symptom in recovery was tiredness, and I think my sister being there was what made the difference in this regard.

Eating

Your provider will give you instructions for care and what you can eat in the few days after surgery. I stuck to smoothies and yogurt for the first couple of days and then moved onto soft foods, fairly close to my normal diet. I found I was able to eat well, although I probably did lose a small amount of weight as expected.