Anesthesia Options
The oral surgeons at Oral Surgery Hawaii offer a variety of anesthesia options from the convenience of our offices in Honolulu, Aiea, and Kaneohe, HI. Your comfort is one of our highest priorities, and our surgeons have undergone years of surgical and anesthesia training to ensure your safety.
When you come in for your initial consultation appointment, your oral surgeon will review your anesthesia options with you. Some procedures will only require local anesthesia, while others may require IV sedation.
TYPES OF ANESTHESIA
Local anesthesia numbs the area of surgery completely so that you feel no pain during your procedure. Some pressure may still be noticeable but shouldn’t be very uncomfortable. Patients who receive only local anesthesia will remain awake during the procedure and be able to drive themselves home afterward.
Nitrous oxide (also called laughing gas) is sometimes used in conjunction with local anesthesia to calm a patient’s nerves and make their procedure go more smoothly. Patients who receive nitrous oxide (administered through a breathing apparatus) will remain awake but feel much more relaxed during the procedure. Patients who receive nitrous oxide and/or local anesthesia may eat a light meal before their appointment, and they are usually able to drive themselves home if they are comfortable.
IV sedation allows the patient to fall into a sleep-like state during the procedure. Patients who undergo IV sedation (also called conscious sedation) will have no memory of the procedure. If you have IV sedation, you will not be able to eat for at least eight hours before your procedure, and you will need someone to drive you home after surgery.
General anesthesia is usually reserved for more serious, hospital-based procedures. It allows patients to enter a deeper level of sleep and wake up once the procedure is over. Patients receiving either general anesthesia or IV sedation cannot eat or drink anything for at least six hours before surgery. Patients should also wear comfortable, short-sleeved clothing to allow for the placement of monitoring devices.
ANESTHESIA AND SEDATION AT ORAL SURGERY HAWAII
Your comfort and safety are our top concerns at Oral Surgery Hawaii, and our oral surgeons will do everything possible to ensure that you feel relaxed and prepared before your procedure. You will be able to discuss your anesthesia options and pre-operative instructions with your surgeon well before your procedure. If you have additional questions, feel free to contact one of our offices in Honolulu, Aiea, and Kaneohe, HI, for more information.
EXPAREL® FOR EXTENDED PAIN-RELIEF AFTER ORAL SURGERY
We are committed to providing the very best oral surgery care for every one of our patients, and as part of that commitment, our surgeons, Dr. Craig Yamamoto, Dr. Blake Kitamura, Dr. Eva Kiezik, Dr. Thomas Yamamoto, and Dr. Michael Hironaka, are proud to offer Exparel in our treatment plans. Exparel is a proven, safe, and opioid-free alternative to narcotic pain prescriptions that dramatically reduces post-surgical pain for 3–4 days. Use of this medication in oral surgeries heads off opioid misuse and addiction before it even begins — while also providing our patients with a better oral surgery experience!
Exparel is a clinically proven medication administered by your oral surgeon directly to your surgical site while you are under anesthesia during your oral surgery — and it is quickly becoming a preferred method of post-operative pain management with oral surgeons and patients alike. If you choose Exparel as part of your surgical treatment plan, Exparel will already be controlling your post-operative discomfort right after your procedure, before the anesthesia has even worn off. Exparel is so powerful that it often eliminates the need for prescription narcotic pain medications during your recovery time.
In addition to reducing your post-operative discomfort for several days into your recovery, Exparel offers the following benefits:
- There is no risk of opioid dependence and withdrawal — Exparel is not a narcotic medication.
- You can postpone or even eliminate the need to fill prescription narcotic pain medications.
- You will not experience a gap in pain control after surgery — one dose of this sustained-release medication applied during your surgery will already be controlling your post-operative discomfort when your anesthesia wears off.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, approximately 80 percent of people who use the illegal drug heroin first misused opioid-based prescription medications. At Oral Surgery Hawaii, we provide the most advanced pain management options for our patients to keep you as healthy and happy as possible, and free of the risks and side effects of risky narcotic prescription medications. You can discuss Exparel with your oral surgeon during your consultation appointment and decide if you would like to add this medication to your surgical treatment plan.
EXPAREL IN HONOLULU, AIEA, AND KANEOHE, HI
With Exparel on board for your recovery period, you will experience effective relief while avoiding the need for narcotic medications. For more information about Exparel, or to schedule your consultation, please contact us today.