Is general anaesthetic necessary?

My 11 year old son needs to have an adult molar extracted. The paediatric dentists insists that this must be done under general anaesthetic. Sure, being awake during such a procedure wouldn't be pleasant, but my son is confident at the dentist, and copes well with discomfort. Wouldn't local anaesthesia be enough? Are the risks of general anaesthesia greater than the discomfort he will experience if he's awake during the extraction? Should I take him to another dentist? Opinion of dentists would be greatly appreciated.

Is general anaesthetic necessary?
Hi,





At the general dental practice I work at, general anaesthetic (GA) is our last resort.





We would only refer patients for GA if they were extremely nervous and would not co-operate, or perhaps the dentist doesn't feel confident in doing the extraction themselves, because of possible complications, depending on the patient's circumstances.





Generally speaking, adult molar teeth can be extracted in general practice using local anaesthetic, but perhaps your dentist is not confident in doing so and is, therefore, referring to a dental surgeon who can perform the extraction with more confidence than him/her. It all depends on your child's circumstances.





There are risks with GA and I would ask when you visit the GA clinic for as much information as possible, as you normally go for an assessment session before the actual GA appointment. It is rare we refer patients for GA and I do not work in a GA clinic, therefore, I do not know a lot about the risks involved, other-than it does carry risks, as does operations in hospitals.





Question your child's dentist to why he feels the need to refer your child to a GA clinic. If you are concerned, perhaps get a second opinion.





Kind regards,





IC.