How Sedation Dentistry Has Evolved Over the Past Few Years
- By Mary Marks
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- 08 Nov, 2021
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In the US, in the early twentieth century, ads such as "We do not receive children under the age of 12!" on dental cabinets doors were not uncommon, due to the lack of technology that would allow the dentist to work safely and complex oral rehabilitation treatments, sometimes on very difficult patients, such as young children. Non-cooperation with the dentist endangers the safe conduct of treatments.
In ancient times, in some parts of the world, people used wine and henbane seed to produce insensibility; later, in the 16th century, sweet vitriol (ether) started to be used in Germany.
In the 19th century, cocaine and ethyl chloride were some of the solutions used to sedate patients, before the rise of Novocain and Lidocaine.
Nowadays, sedation dentistry Denver area and others are different and perfectly safe. There are conscious sedation techniques, which involve the IV administration of sedatives that lower a patient's level of consciousness, making them feeling stress-free and comfortable, while still staying awake during the procedure. This way, the patient is still able to cooperate with the dentist if needed.
As opposed to general anesthesia, conscious sedation doesn’t produce major effects in a patient's body; due to this, investigation before administering the sedative may be required only in patients with severe health conditions.
Inhalation sedation involving the use of “laughing gas” is also a common practice. The risk of side effects is extremely low because nitrous oxide quickly leaves the body as soon as you breathe normal air.
Although oral sedation dentistry Highlands Ranch is one of the optionsavailable for managing anxiety and discomfort during oral surgery, you certainly do not need to use it all the time. As a matter of fact, the exact type of sedation or anesthesia that you receive during oral procedures may depend on various factors, such as the complexity of the procedure, your medical problems, as well as your doctor’s preferences.
There can be several different levels of sedation that can be used in oral surgery. Local anesthesia is one of them. This involves injecting anesthetic medication into the specific area where the surgery will take place. It numbs the area and is often used for less invasive procedures.
Oral sedation involves taking medication in the form of a pill to induce a state of relaxation and drowsiness. The patient is still conscious, but he/she may not be fully aware of the procedure. At any rate, sedation helps him/her get rid of anxiety.
In the case of intravenous sedation, medication is administered through a vein, which induces a deeper state of sedation than oral sedation. Patients may still be conscious, but they are less aware of their surroundings and may not remember the procedure.
