At Dental Implants & Aesthetics, we understand that not all our patients feel comfortable undergoing dental surgery. Some people would simply rather wake up and be done with their dental treatment.

For these patients, Dr Franck Page offers dental surgery under general anesthesia in the operating theatres of the Gold Coast Private Hospital.  This way, the patient is fully asleep while undergoing treatment.

What is general anesthesia?

For your dental implant surgery, you will require anesthesia to numb the relevant areas of your mouth. In general, we can distinguish anesthesia in three categories – local, regional and general.

While local anesthesia numbs the area where surgery is performed, general anesthesia is a medically induced coma. This means the patient is asleep during the treatment.

How does dental implant treatment under GA work?

After an initial consultation at our practice, you will receive an itemised treatment plan. Once you agree to the treatment plan, we will then book you in at the Gold Coast Private Hospital. The procedure is usually undertaken within the next few weeks. The timeframe depends on availability at the hospital. In case of an emergency, we can arrange an emergency appointment.

A specialised anaesthetist will explain and administer the general anesthetic prior to your surgery. This can happen intravenously (IV) or inhaled. Once the general anesthesia starts working, the patient is unable to feel pain. It is also possible to have amnesia.

The anaesthetist will stay for the whole time of the dental procedure and is constantly watching over your breathing. They will also keep a close eye on your pulse and blood pressure.

Once the general anaesthetic is working, your dentist will start the treatment. Apart from dental implants, procedures such as bone grafts, extractions and even full arch implant cases can be performed under GA.

What happens after the procedure?

After the procedure, you will proceed to the ward where you will wake up and recover. When your vital signs are normal and you have had something to eat and drink, you will be able to leave. It is essential that you organise someone to pick you up as you are not allowed to drive after the GA treatment. Alternatively you also may choose to stay overnight in hospital to recover.

Depending on the procedure you had, your mouth might feel sore or swollen. Painkillers and ice packs will help you with the recovery.

Who is a suitable candidate for implant placement under GA?

If you require local or general anesthesia depends on several factors such as the number of implants placed and your personal comfort levels. Your dentist will discuss the options of local and general anesthetics with you in detail during your consultation.

In general, anyone can have implants under general anesthesia as long as you are in reasonable health. Usually, your treating medical practitioner will let you know if you can’t have general anesthetics. However, this rarely happens.

Costs of dental implant treatment under GA

If you are with a private health fund with hospital cover, your health fund usually covers the theatre fee in the hospital. Depending on your hospital excess, you may have to make a gap payment. Please check your insurance policy for further details.

There also is a gap payment for the anaesthetist. This figure is usually around $500 but will depend on the length of treatment under GA. The anaesthetic group who will organise your anaesthetist will inform you about the fees and gap payments prior to the procedure.

As a private health fund member with major dental extras, your health fund also may cover part of the dental implant treatment costs. After receiving your treatment plan, you can provide your health fund with the item numbers and they will be able to determine how much of the treatment costs you can claim.

Dental treatment under general anesthesia at Dental Implants & Aesthetics

Dr Franck Page offers several treatments such as dental implants, bone grafts, extractions and full arch implant cases under general anesthesic. Please contact our friendly team to find out more on (07) 5503 1701. Alternatively, you can book a consultation appointment with Dr Franck Page online 24/7.