Anxiety before dental treatments – almost everyone knows it. But while most can live well with a bit of stomach tingling, real anxiety sufferers break out in a sweat at the very idea of a dental office. Many even avoid going to the dentist when they have a severe toothache – their greatest fear: pain during treatment. Wrongly so: today there are a variety of gentle options for anesthesia, which – used correctly – are optimally suited to the patient.
No pain at the dentist
Today’s anesthetics are very safe and free of side effects. Three different types of local anesthesia are used, depending on whether the procedure is surgical or purely conservative, such as fillings:
- Surface anesthesia, in which only the mucosa is anesthetized,
- The infiltration anesthesia, which makes a certain place in the mouth insensitive, and
- The conduction anesthesia, which numbs an entire nerve area.
In some cases – if a major procedure is necessary or the patient’s anxiety is excessive – the dentist may also perform the treatment under general anesthesia, as an outpatient or in the clinic.
Local anesthesia – no more than necessary.
Local surface anesthesia is used to prepare an anesthetic injection to desensitize the tissue in advance. The dentist applies a liquid to the oral mucosa, making it feel numb. He then performs the injection, preferably divided into two stitches, completely painlessly.
In infiltration anesthesia, the dentist injects the numbing liquid under the skin in the upper jaw. Not only the upper pain points of the skin are anesthetized, but also smaller nerve branches. In the lower jaw, on the other hand, the dentist usually performs a conduction anesthesia, in which an entire half in the lower jaw is anesthetized at once.
Deep sleep during general anesthesia
General anesthesia is used for major procedures such as surgery and sometimes for extremely anxious patients. New anesthetics that provide good tolerance, rapid elimination from the body, and low side effects reduce the risk of anesthesia. Even in dental treatments, the duration of anesthesia can easily be several hours, so that complex treatments can be completed in a few sessions.
Reduce the sensation of pain
Retaining consciousness yet feeling no pain or fear: that’s how so-called analgosedation works. It involves reducing the sensation of pain and anxiety by dripping medication into a venous line inserted into the arm. The patient feels sleepy and free of anxiety, but breathes on his own and can also respond to the dentist’s instructions.
In addition, a local anesthetic is needed on the tooth, because this procedure only affects the sensation, but does not prevent the pain itself. After the treatment, the patient usually does not remember it.
