Posts for tag: IV sedation
Question: What is oral sedation and how does it help with dentistry?
Answer: Oral Sedation involves the use of oral medications in the form of a pill/tablet to relieve mild to moderate anxiety. The most commonly prescribed medications are Halcion, Ativan and Valium, all of which produce a high level of drowsiness but not a complete sleep. The medicine is generally administered one hour prior to treatment but sometimes is also administered the night before the dental appointment as well. You will, however, remain awake and alert throughout your dental treatment and be able to breathe on your own without the fear and anxiety you might other- wise experience. One downfall to oral sedation is that since every patient exhibits different levels of tolerance to drugs and different digestion times, there is no way to measure how much medication has been directly absorbed into the stomach. It is not effective or safe to try to make the patient more relaxed by giving more pills if the initial dose was not effective to relieve the patient's anxiety. Depending on the patient and the treatment being provided, sometimes laughing gas is used in conjunction with oral sedation to help assist with anxiety and pain control. Oral sedation is typically much more effective than laughing gas alone, but not nearly as effective as IV sedation or general anesthesia.
Question: What is laughing gas(nitrous oxide) and how it is used for dental
anxiety?
Answer: Nitrous Oxide is a sweet smelling gas administered through a inhaler mask that is placed over a patient's nose. The patient simply breathes in the laughing gas and almost immediately(within 2-4 minutes) experiences a relaxed state. Nitrous oxide is administered to patients requiring relatively short dental procedures and for those with mild anxiety. Recovery time for patients receiving nitrous oxide is very brief, as the effects subside within minutes, allowing patients to drive themselves home if necessary. This is the only form of sedation that the patient can drive to and from their dental appointment. Nitrous oxide works very well with children and does well with adults but less predictable.
Question: Does everyone fear going to the dentist?
What percent of patients do you see have anxiety or fear going to the dentist?
Answer: Approximately 10 million Americans avoid going to dentist due to fear and anxiety. I would say 40-50% of my patients have had or do have some fear of the dentist. This fear usually stems from a bad experience or not understanding what is going on. By simply educating the patient, much fear is eliminated when the patient knows exactly what the problem is, how to fix it, and what it takes to fix it. I take pride in most of the services I offer but the one I take the most pride in is the one you don't see listed--helping you CONQUER your fear of dentistry. I am confident I can help you not only conquer your anxiety but help you establish a routine of regular dental care that prevents you from needing frequent amounts of dental work and be proud of your oral health and smile!
What are the Options for Tooth Replacement?
If tooth loss is unavoidable, there are various options for replacement that can effectively restore your smile. Dental implants are artificial tooth roots that can be surgically anchored to the jaw to hold a replacement tooth or a bridge in place. Implants are permanent and stable, and they look and feel just like natural teeth. Dental implants may also be used in addition to a denture for better stabilization.
Dentures are removable replacements for missing teeth and adjoining tissues.
Partial dentures are an option if you have some natural teeth remaining, as they fill in the spaces created by missing teeth and prevent other teeth from shifting position. Full dentures are appropriate if you have lost most or all of your teeth. "Immediate" dentures are inserted immediately following removal of the natural teeth, while "conventional" dentures are placed in the mouth about eight to 12 weeks after tooth removal.
A dental bridge is a false tooth that is fused between two porcelain crowns to fill in the area left by a missing tooth. The two crowns holding it in place are attached onto your teeth on each side of the false tooth and the bridge is not removable because it is secured into place.
Dr.G
What are the most commonly used medications in IV sedation?
Typically there is a combination of medications(sedatives and narcotics) used to achieve sedation in order eliminate anxiety as well as providing pain control. The types and amounts greatly depend on the length of the procedure, the medical history of the patient, and the types of procedures.
Usually a combination of sedative(benzodiazepines) such as Versed or Valium will be given to help with anxiety control. In addition, a pain medicine is administered along with the sedative to help with pain control but to also further assist with the sedation process. Usually, Demerol or Fentanyl are the pain medications administered IV.
Other IV meds sometimes used in IV sedation are Phenergan(to offset nausea from the other medications), and Dexamethasone (steroids that control postoperative swelling/inflammation). Propofol, is also a commonly used IV medication to assist with the sedation but is only indicated in very short procedures and has very limited use in dentistry because of the dangers if not used appropriately.
IV sedation is very safe an in fact, is much safer than oral sedation as IV sedation relies on medications being placed through the IV so the effects can be felt much faster, be better controlled, and easier to reverse should an emergency occur. Ask your dentist about the types of sedation he/she offers and how it can benefit you!
