Going to the dentist is known to be uncomfortable at times for many people because dental procedures can cause pain, anxiety and discomfort, fortunately dental anesthesia is a great option to facilitate the experience and treatment of these people in the most possible way to provide an ideal and comfortable environment, and in the lines In the following we will look at the nature and types of anesthesia, as well as advise if the side effects of dental anesthesia bother any patient, remember to tell your dentist in order to treat and solve this problem.
Anesthesia is a safe way to help patients relax and feel safe and make them feel as little pain as possible during and after procedures are completed. Preventing the patient from feeling any pain in certain areas of your mouth for a period of time during the medical procedure and its effect may last for a short period after the completion of the treatment process, it can be used depending on the doctor’s diagnosis and the type of procedure the doctor will do for you.
Today there are many options available for dental anesthesia where medications can be used alone or in combination to get a better effect for a safe and successful medical procedure. The type of anesthesia used also depends on the person’s age, health status, duration of the procedure and any adverse reactions to the anesthesia in the past.
Anesthesia works in different ways depending on what is used. Anesthetics can be short-acting when applied directly to an area or work for longer periods when more time is needed in advanced dental cases.
There are three main types of anesthesia, we will explain each of them separately: local anesthesia, general general anesthesia, and sedatives, each with specific uses, and it can also be combined with other medications depending on the patient's diagnosis.
Local anesthesia is used for simple procedures such as the installation of fillings, which requires a shorter time to complete and is less complicated than other dental procedures in general. .
Most local anesthetics work quickly in a period of not more than 10 minutes, and their effect lasts from thirty to ninety minutes, sometimes a vasoconstrictor such as epinephrine is added to the anesthetic to increase its effect and to keep the effect of the anesthetic from spreading to other areas of the body.
Local anesthetics are available over the counter, as well as by prescription, in the form of gels, ointments, creams, sprays, liquids and injectable forms. These are examples of local anesthetics:
- articaine
- bupivacaine
- lidocaine
- mepivacaine
- prilocaine
Sedatives come in several levels and are used to relax the nerves of a person who may be experiencing anxiety, help relieve pain, or to keep the patient still and calm during a procedure during which they may be fully conscious and able to respond to commands or semi-conscious. Anesthesia is classified as light, medium, or deep .
In deep sedation, the patient is generally unaware of his surroundings and can respond only to repetitive or painful stimulation.
The sedative can be given orally as tablets or liquids, or by inhalation, injected into a muscle (IM) or intravenously (IV).
There are more risks with intravenous anesthesia. Heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing must be carefully monitored under moderate or deep anesthesia. These are examples of sedative drugs:
- diazepam (Valium)
- midazolam (Virus)
- propofol (Diprivan)
- nitrous oxide
General anesthesia is used for the most complex procedures in medicine in general and in the field of dentistry and surgery in particular, or if the patient feels a lot of anxiety that may interfere with his treatment process.
During full anesthesia, the patient will be completely unconscious and will not feel any pain and his muscles will relax. Anesthesia is given through a face mask or intravenous injection. The level of anesthesia depends on the procedure and on the diagnosis of the patient's condition. These are examples of full anesthesia drugs:
- propofol
- ketamine
- etomidate
- midazolam
- diazepam
- Methohexital
- nitrous oxide
- desflurane
- Isoflurane
- sevoflurane
