Jaw "too small" for implants, will sedation help?

Dental Implant Cost Guide Dental Implant Forum – Ask an Expert Questions About Implants Jaw "too small" for implants, will sedation help?

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  • #4129
    haiku_rd
    Participant

    My oral surgeon (in the US) started the implant process, but after drilling a pilot hole at about 45 degrees she says my jaw is a couple of mm too small to put the drill in and stopped. Then she gave me muscle relaxants for 5 days, I came in again, it didn’t make a bit of difference and she sent me home. Now she wants to do with twilight sedation and says she thinks this will cause the jaw to relax and give her enough room to put them in. I am very reluctant to get the twilight sedation because I’m afraid it will negative affects on me, it’s a big hassle and it’s also very expensive (additional $700). I’m also not sure the twilight sedation will be enough to get my jaw open -she thinks I’m just clenching my jaw because of anxiety (I have a big gag reflex) but my joints are very tight all the time, even at home relaxing I can only open about 38-40mm. If there’s a good chance it will work I’ll do it but she makes it sound like an experiment she’s never tried before. Is she just thinking with me out she can manhandle my jaw enough to get it in? Or is it realistic to think the twilight sedation would let the jaw relax and open more? Any thoughts? Thanks!

    #4719
    AskAli
    Participant

    Hi,

    Provided your oral surgeon has carefully assessed your suitability for twilight sedation, it should be relatively safe. All kinds of sedation do carry a small level of risk. Using twilight sedation to help you relax sounds as if it might be helpful, especially if you have a strong gag reflex and may be subconsciously tensing up. I’d ask if she is reasonably confident this will work. Is there another oral surgeon at the same practice who can give a second opinion, especially if she hasn’t tried this approach before?

    #4723
    haiku_rd
    Participant

    Thanks for the response!!! It turns out she did not plan to use twilight sedation but Grade IV (full) sedation – her idea I guess was she could then force my mouth open and I wouldn’t remember it. That was an even less appealing option for me [I have RA which affects my jaw/throat and manhandling my jaw didn’t sound like a good idea, awake or not].

    I found another oral surgeon who does computer-assisted surgery using technology he developed, which did not require me to open my mouth so wide. [http://www.ccomfs.com/dental-image-guided-surgery-washington-dc]. We did the whole procedure in 20 minutes with only a local. I had ZERO gagging. The resulting implant is perfectly aligned. I was on pain meds for 1 day but walked home from the appointment and was alert and able to work the same day. I was ***so*** relieved and happy!!! Turns out this doctor has many patients with RA, schleroderma, etc who have limitations on how wide they can open. This technology was really a game-changer for me. Just wanted you to know! Neither my dentist or my RA doc had any idea this was available!

    #4806
    arthurglosmandds
    Participant

    Sedatives can help you relax if you are nervous about procedure.

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