Hi, I’m Dr Thea, one of the gentle dentists here at Dental House Group in Melbourne.
My patient Ronnie from Gisborne is planning to undergo a complicated dental treatment and was wondering if he should try general anaesthetic. When he asked me about it, I talked him through the different options of dental sedation. I thought that this was a great subject to discuss, so I created this video to help anyone who has questions.
There are many reasons why a patient might want to be sedated during dental treatments. Dental anxiety is a problem for many adult patients in Australia, so if you experience this, you are not alone. Anxiety and fear can prevent one from getting help with their dental problems and can even prevent patients from simple visits like dental checkups and cleanings.
Thanks to modern dental techniques like general anaesthetic and nitrous sedation, people with dental anxieties have helpc. These techniques can calm fears so the patient can get treatment they need to avoid future dental problems like tooth loss and gum disease, which aren’t very easy to fix.
Now let’s get on to the difference between general anaesthetic and nitrous sedation.
General anaesthetic is a procedure in which the patient has an IV and is monitored by an anaesthetist during their entire dental treatment. This is particularly beneficial for extreme dental phobias and for those who want to undergo more than one dental treatment in one visit, such as having all four wisdom teeth removed or getting All On 4 Plus® dental implants. If you undergo general anaesthetic, you will go to sleep before the work begins and when you wake up, it will be over.
Nitrous sedation or “happy gas” is less extreme than general anaesthetic because the patient does not completely go to sleep. Instead, the patient is in a deep and relaxed state. The treatment can be completed in the chair and if necessary, the dentist can communicate with the patient.
The benefits of both types of sedation are that the patient can relax during treatment, lowering the overall stress that dental treatments have on some people. Therefore, it will be easier to return for future dental visits. In fact, many patients who use dental sedation are eventually able to let go of their dental fears and maintain healthy professional oral care.
Just like any medical treatment, there are some side effects and cautions about general anaesthetic and nitrous sedation. Sometimes patients feel lightheaded after they come out of the procedure. Some patients may experience headaches and nausea, while others simply feel sleepy.
General anaesthetic depresses the respiratory and cardiovascular system, so precautions are taken to prescreen patients to ensure they are candidates for this treatment.
If you are interested in getting dental work done with dental sedation, we would love to help.
Simply give us a call on +61 3 8798 9798, fill in the form on our website, or DM us on social media, and our friendly team will help you organise your consultation.
