“Can dentist put you to sleep for fillings?”
I need to have a dental filling and I'm afraid of having it done. Is it possible to have a dentist put me to sleep for cavity fillings?
3 Answers
A dentist can only provide nitrous oxide but it won’t knock you out. You would need an anesthesiologist or nurse anesthetist to give you anesthesia. Some dentists have an anesthesia provider come in for these type of procedures. You would need an iv placed. Some medications can be given as intramuscular shots. Anything from heavy sedation to general anesthesia is possible.
Most dentists can’t sedate you for a filling, but some oral surgeons can sedate patients for wisdom teeth extraction, so you have to find the right person for the job.
You should never expect anyone but an anesthesiologist to put you to sleep. General anesthesia by a dentist would be unsafe. Your dentist can give local anesthesia, but if you want general anesthesia, it should be done in an operating room in a hospital.
