Fear of dental care is a common reason people avoid taking care of their teeth.  Years of neglect can turn small problems into big challenges that require quite a bit of dentistry to get oral health back on track.  We celebrate when we can turn a fearful person into a calm and trusting patient of Wynkoop Dentistry.  Our team is caring and kind which is all it takes for most patients.  We also offer comfort items such as noise cancelling headphones, nitrous oxide, or oral sedation.  When the comfort items are not enough, general anesthesia may be the best option. This means utilizing our option to bring a Dental Anesthesiologist into the office to put you to sleep while we complete your care safely and efficiently.  We interviewed Dr. Russ Yancey at Mountain Dental Anesthesia to get more information on this amazing service.  If being able to get your dental care under unconscious sedation interests you, let us know.  We would be happy to discuss this with you!

Is Anesthesia right for me?

Anesthesia is tailored to each and every patient with safety and comfort in mind. It is ideal for patients who are afraid of the dentist, dislike the sight of a needle, or have had very negative experiences in the past relating to dental treatment.

What is a Board Certified Dentist Anesthesiologist?

A Dentist Anesthesiologist is a licensed dentist who successfully completed an accredited 3-year postdoctoral anesthesiology residency-training program. They then complete the 2-step process to become certified with the American Dental Board of Anesthesiology to include a written exam and an oral board exam.  Board certification is an indicator of the highest level of competence in your provider ensuring you will have a safe outcome!

Are Sedation and General Anesthesia in the dental office safe?

A complete complement of emergency medication management is readily available during the anesthetic experience along with the knowledge and expertise to utilize this if the situation arises. During all anesthetic procedures, the anesthesia team utilizes only state-of-the-art, hospital-grade monitoring equipment including pulse oximetry, EKG, capnography, anesthetic gas analysis, Bluetooth pre-tracheal stethoscopes, video laryngoscopy and electronic non-invasive blood pressure monitoring.

I’m afraid of needles; is there a way to avoid needles?

Absolutely! Our team recognizes that many adults and children are concerned with being stuck with a sharp needle. This is why we offer several methods for ensuring that you or your child has no memory of ever being stuck. If this is a concern, please mention this during our initial conversations so we can discuss your options.

How do I initiate anesthetic services?

Just ask! Anybody at Wynkoop Dentistry will be more than happy to discuss the anesthesia options with you. Feel free to go to mountainda.com to get some more information about the anesthesia team.

What are the costs involved in a general anesthesia case?

For pediatric cases (younger than 13 years old) there is a flat fee of $950 charged for every case under 2 hours. For adult cases (13 and older) it is $600/hr paid in 15 minute increments after the first hour.

Our anesthesia team does not bill your insurance directly but feel free to ask for a sample bill. Then you will be able to contact your individual insurance company to see what coverage you may have.

Why is anesthesia important?

Anesthesia is important to eliminate your pain and anxiety thereby allowing your dental team to focus solely on your dental treatment. 

If working with a dental anesthetist would help you get needed dental work done and overcome fears, we would love to talk more with you.  Contact our office for more information.