Methods of Sedation Available To the Dentist
After spending a couple of articles discussing the use of sedation dentistry to calm fearful patients before and during dental surgery and the possible cons of using sedation, we will now take a brief look at some of the pain management options available to the dentist. The range of choices include oral medications, inhalation agents or intravenous sedation or a combination of a couple of these methods.
Methods of sedation dentistry may involve local anesthesia. This is the most common method of pain relief and starts off with a numbing gel before an injection is administered which will numb the area sufficiently to allow the procedure to take place. The effects of the anesthesia may last from 5 minutes to a few hours. The next most common form of sedation is nitrous oxide which is also known as laughing gas. Nitrous oxide is inhaled by the patient that gives the patient a feeling of lightheadedness almost immediately. There are currently studies being conducted to assess the possibilities of combining hypnosis with the use of nitrous oxide to deepen the calming effect of the gas.
Other forms of sedation dentistry used by dentists are not quite so commonly practiced but are becoming more the way of the future. Oral conscious sedation involves a pill which is administered before treatment to send the patient into a drowsy state. The patient never loses consciousness but their awareness is diminished to the point where they are in a calm, relaxed state.
For more serious surgery it may be necessary to use a general anesthetic to render the patient completely unconscious. The effects of a general anesthetic may last for hours but once the patient has regained consciousness they are usually allowed to leave the surgery from 2 to 4 hours after treatment.
Bordering on the conscious and unconscious state is a process known as intravenous sedation which may also be referred to as conscious sedation. In this case the patient will have no memory of the procedure even though they are awake throughout it and can respond to the dentist if necessary. It is administered by a specialist who is stays with the dentist during the procedure.
Sedation dentistry depends on the kind of surgery that is required as well as the patient that is about to undertake the surgery and their level of discomfort or apprehension. The dentist will discuss what is appropriate with his patient what action is best.
Not all dentists perform sedation dentistry so you will have to do some homework in order to find a qualified sedation dentist before contacting them to get more details about their qualifications. You will want to discuss the nature of your fears and anxieties with the dentists so they can cater to your needs. Cosmetic dentistry doesn’t have to be a painful affair and sedation dentistry should give you the assurance to go ahead that you need.
Sedation Dentistry Is Debated
After my recent article about the benefits of sedation dentistry I thought I would look into it a little more closely to find out whether there were arguments against using it as well as the proponents for it. Naturally, as with just about every new type of procedure, there are words of caution given to undertaking sedation dentistry.
A recent ABC article cites an oral surgeon who is disturbed by the trend of using the technique saying that many dentists are not trained to deal with the complications.
“These drugs can depress respiration and depress cardiovascular activity,” said Pollan, DMD, MS, oral maxillofacial surgeon, Strong Memorial Hospital, Rochester, N.Y.
“It’s very easy for a patient to slip from moderate to deep by adding additional medications, and before you know it, you have a patient that’s over-sedated and in trouble”
Oral sedation has been used for everything from routine cleanings to fillings and root canals. Dentists must go through a minimum of 24 hours of training in sedating patients and 10 clinical experiences administering the medications. Most patients are not put completely to sleep but rather are in a semi-conscious state.
For patients who are deathly afraid of visiting the dentist, it would seem that any perceived risks of sedation dentistry are far outweighed by the fear of sitting in that dentist chair without any kind of chemical assistance.
The cost of undergoing conscious oral sedation dentistry can run up to $500.
