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Know more about your Dental
treatment and the methods of
dental treatment.
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Anesthesia
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Dentistry has advanced to the point in which pain is almost a thing
of the past.
Powerful pain-killing medications known as anesthetics not only help
a patient avoid discomfort during a procedure, but post-operatively
as well.
Some patients, especially children, may require higher doses of
anesthetic than others.
Types of pain-killing medications include:
- Analgesics - These are also called pain
relievers and include common non-narcotic medications such as
ibuprofen and aspirin. Analgesics are usually used for mild cases
of discomfort, and are typically prescribed following such
procedures as a root canal or tooth extraction.
- Anesthetics - Anesthetics can either be
topically applied, injected or swallowed. Dentists often apply
topical anesthetics with a cotton swab to an area of the mouth
where a procedure such as a restoration will be performed. This
numbs the affected area. Topical anesthetics are used in many
dental procedures such as tooth restoration. Topical anesthetics
also are used to prepare an area for injection of an anesthetic.
Novocaine and Lidocaine are the most common kind of injectable
anesthetics. Such medications block the nerves from transmitting
signals and are used for more major types of procedures, such as
fillings and root canals.
- Sedatives - Sedatives are medications
designed to help a patient relax. This can be a powerful tool in
avoiding pain. Sedatives are sometimes used in combination with
other types of pain relievers and pain-killers. Nitrous oxide, or
laughing gas, is a form of sedative. Conscious sedation involves
administering a sedative while the patient is alert and awake.
Deep sedation or general anesthesia involves administering a
medication that places a patient in a state of monitored and
controlled unconsciousness.
Types of sedatives include:
- Intravenous (IV) sedation - Usually in the form of a
tranquilizing agent); patients given IV sedation are often awake,
but very relaxed.
- Inhalation sedation - a form of sedation in which a medication
(such as nitrous oxide) is administered through a special mask
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