Hi, I'm Dr. Matt Rasmussen with Periodontics and Implant Dentistry of Tallahassee. A common question that comes up is in regards to local anesthetic and sedation options. I want to spend some time today to go over the best tips and tricks in and things related to sedation as well as local anesthetics, and ways that we can set ourselves apart so the patient has a very comfortable experience during any dental procedure.
What types of anesthesia are available for dental procedures?
Dental anesthesia can be broken up into a few different categories. Sometimes when patients are talking about "dental anesthesia," they're referring to something called sedation. This can be something like laughing gas or oral sedation, where the patients are more relaxed in the chair. However, strictly speaking, dental anesthesia is the numbing process when the patient is in the chair. Now, this is broken up into a few phases. In the first phase, we actually use a gel that will go on the gum to start the numbing process. Then we use a series of different numbing medicines, starting with the ones that are not as strong but cause the least amount of pinching so the patient has a comfortable experience in the chair.
How does sedation dentistry work?
Sedation dentistry works by administering some type of medication, either inhaled through the nose or orally in the mouth, that makes a patient feel less conscious of what's going on around them. Many times, the patient is still awake, but they'll feel more relaxed in the chair. With more significant sedation, the patient may not remember the procedure after the fact.
Is dental anesthesia safe?
A common question that comes up is how safe is dental anesthetic. I believe this question comes up because in the past, sedation medications as well as anesthetic medications have not been used in a safe way. Fortunately, technology has improved greatly within dentistry, so many patients who had poor experiences in the past when they were younger will be very pleasantly surprised at how safe, effective, and comfortable dental procedures can be with dental anesthesia.
What is the difference between local anesthesia and sedation?
A common question that comes up in our office is what's the difference between local anesthesia versus other types of anesthesia. This question comes up often because during medical procedures, when they refer to being anesthetized, they're really referring to the sedation effect after the fact or sedation during procedures. Local anesthetic is the process of numbing an area so that you do not physically feel the area, so a dental procedure can be performed successfully. However, this does not have an effect on the wakefulness or sleepiness of the patient. Sedation dentistry, either inhaled or oral sedation, are type of medication that are administered to affect the level of consciousness of the patient, meaning the patient may not be fully aware of what's going on, they may not remember after the fact, or they may even fall asleep during the appointment.
What makes your dental anesthesia services different from other practices?
Something that we take a great deal of pride in is the type of dental anesthesia that we give, the order that we give it, and specifically in a way that sets us apart from many other offices. Now, I won't compare our office directly to other practices; I'm going to mainly focus on the positive effects of what we can do for our patients. We are very specific in our protocols regarding dental anesthesia. Our primary goal is to make it so that you feel as little as possible while getting done. The way that we do this is through a couple of things that are honestly common sense but they take very specific protocols. The first thing we do is we're going to use a numbing jelly that's going to be specifically placed on the area to start the numbing process. We'll also know which areas in the mouth are least likely to have any kind of pinching or feeling when we start the numbing medicine, so we'll start in the locations where you're least likely to feel anything first and give it plenty of time to soak in. Once it soaks in, the surrounding areas are already partially numb, so then we can go to those other areas. Another thing that we do that's very specific about our office is we use a particular type of numbing medicine called Sitnesse, which is the one that pinches the least when it goes into the body. The reason for this is although it's not that strong of a numbing medicine, it's a really good starting medication, so when we go with any additional stronger medications, the area is already numb and you're not going to feel anything. These are some of the specific protocols that we use that really help patients have a very good experience in our office regarding dental anesthetic.
How do I know if I need sedation for my dental appointment?
Sedation dentistry is very helpful for patients in specific circumstances. Make sure to talk with your doctor at the time of the exam to see if sedation dentistry is appropriate for your situation. Now, the most common concerns that come up with patients who would want to have sedation dentistry either relate to the patient's disposition, meaning they've had poor experiences in the past and they're very fearful of the dentist, or they have significant dental anxiety. The other thing that's a very common reason for sedation dentistry is that the appointment is going to be a very long one, or there's a lot of work involved. Just because of the length of the procedure and everything that's involved with it, some patients may prefer not to remember their procedure after the fact.
Can I be awake during dental surgery with anesthesia?
Many patients in our office do go forward with dental surgery while they're still perfectly awake. Sedation is not needed for any procedures that we provide in the office. It is there as an adjunctive aid for patients who have concerns regarding the length of the procedure, anxiety, or fear, or just concern that they would not have a comfortable experience in the chair, and therefore would rather be sedated. But to reiterate, there are no procedures that we provide in this office that would need sedation. All procedures can be performed with local anesthetic only, and you can be fully awake for those procedures.
What should I expect after receiving anesthesia at the dentist?
After receiving local anesthetic or anesthesia at the dentist, that medicine will still be in place for a period of time. Sometimes patients report that this will be in effect for a few hours. For certain longer procedures, we use a longer-lasting numbing medicine. You may notice slight numbness for the remainder of the day. It's critical when you go home afterwards to remember that although you can't feel anything, it's still possible to inflict injury, meaning you may bite your tongue or your cheek afterwards. So eat soft foods or liquids after any kind of dental surgery or make sure to eat on the other side of the mouth so you're staying safe while the numbing medicine is still wearing off.
Are there any risks associated with dental anesthesia?
A question that comes up from time to time with patients is are there any risks with dental anesthesia. Fortunately, local anesthetic used in dentistry are very safe.
How can dental anesthesia help with dental anxiety?
A very common question that comes up specifically amongst patients who are middle or older is that they had anxiety associated with dental procedures. Many times, they report that when they were younger, they had a bad experience. Fortunately, technology has improved dramatically with local anesthesia, meaning that they're not going to have to feel pain the way they did when they were younger with dental procedures. Dental anesthetic is fantastic in reducing the amount that a patient will feel, and therefore, we have a more comfortable experience in the chair because patients can sit comfortably knowing that it will numb them for the procedure. This oftentimes by itself reduces the anxiety the patient has because, again, they were concerned about having something similar happen to them when they were younger.
I hope through this video we've been able to answer some of the most common questions regarding dental anesthesia and certain sedation options. As you can tell, we take great pride in the quality care that we provide to our patients and are very specific about our protocols regarding dental anesthesia. Please give us a call at (850) 909-9731. We look forward to helping you with your oral health.