Dental Anesthesia Side Effects And Causes For Treatment

Below is an excerpt from an article found on colgate.com

Medical procedures are sometimes necessary to maintain your health, including oral health. Anesthesia is inherent to more involved procedures, whether it's knee surgery or filling an advanced cavity, and when properly administered, it isn't a point of concern. But some people do suffer from dental anesthesia side effects. Here's a look into anesthesia and why some patients don't respond as well to it.

Anesthesia Types

There are two types of anesthesia: local and general. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) defines local anesthesia as "the temporary loss of sensation including pain in one part of the body produced by a topically-applied or injected agent without depressing the level of consciousness." In effect, your dentist simply desensitizes a portion of your mouth by injecting medicine into the gum or inner cheek; you can stay awake for this process. General anesthesia, according to Aetna, sedates you for an extended period of time, and an air tube allows you to breathe while you're asleep.

Although the term can be misleading, general anesthesia has a much more specific role to your comfort during a procedure, and is administered by a trained professional such as an oral-maxillofacial surgeon or medical anesthesiologist. Local (or regional) anesthesia is used for much simpler types of treatment, wherein your needs are minor enough that your bodily state can remain the same.

Procedures Requiring Anesthesia

Unfortunately, not all trips to the dentist are as easy as a routine cleaning so check before booking your next appointment. Tooth extraction is one of the most common processes necessitating anesthesia. When a tooth that has become decayed needs to be removed, the doctor anesthetizes the area of your mouth surrounding that tooth. Wisdom teeth are another common cause for anesthezed removal, usually due to impaction or simply not having enough room to erupt.

Although root canals have become much easier over the years, they are another example of when an anesthesia is necessary. When a tooth's pulp becomes damaged or diseased, the part of the tooth that houses the pulp needs to be removed and sealed, thereby saving the tooth from extraction. Probably the most common need for anesthesia, however, is in the filling of a cavity. A filling is required when a small section of your tooth succumbs to decay, creating a small area that the dentist will remove the decay and fill the cavity.

Dental Anesthesia Side Effects

Side effects from a local anesthesia are few and far between, but they do occasionally arise. Numbness felt beyond the affected part of the mouth is a very common one. Following a local injection to your gums, for example, the medicine can cause your eyelid or cheek muscles to droop. After the anesthesia wears off, this numbness dissipates. Here are a few more:

• Unable to blink – If you can't blink one of your eyes, your dentist can tape it shut until the numbness ceases so that it doesn't dry out.
• Hematoma – Described as a blood-filled swelling, this can happen if the needle strikes a blood vessel upon injection.
• Racing heart beat – The vasoconstrictor drug in the anesthesia can increase your heart beat for a minute or two. Be sure to mention this to your doctor if you notice it.
• Nerve damage – If the needle directly hits a nerve, the result can be numbness and pain that lasts for weeks or months. Nerve damage is very rare in a regional injection, according to the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine (ASRA).

The best way to avoid any dental anesthesia side effects is to lower your risk of issues that warrant a desensitizing solution. A good way to achieve that goal is by using a toothpaste such as Colgate TotalSF Advanced Deep Clean. Brushing, flossing and a healthy diet are all keys to keeping a healthy mouth. Of course, make sure you schedule your regular dental checkup, too.

To read the entire article visit colgate.com

Better Image Dentistry
Drew Fairweather, DMD, Michael H. Dodd, DMD
21 Monroe Street
Bridgewater, NJ 08807
(908) 214-7686

BetterImageDentistry.com

A Guide to Sedation Dentistry

If the thought of seeing your dentist gives you chills every six months, an anesthetic may be the solution. Sedation dentistry uses a combination of techniques, ranging from nitrous oxide or "laughing gas" to general anesthesia, to relax a patient during surgeries or otherwise uncomfortable appointments. For even the most severe dental phobias, there is no longer a reason to avoid the dentist altogether.

Settings that Practice Anti-Anxiety

The dental office has long been the most common setting for routine dental procedures that use sedation and anti-anxiety techniques. These techniques can be used for any type of dental procedure depending on the needs of the patient. Ultimately, your fears and phobias can be managed so that you can receive the dental care you require no matter where the treatment takes place.
Are You a Candidate for Sedation?

Your overall health, as well as physical and mental conditions you may be battling at the time, are important to be able to safely undergo certain types of sedation ñ especially in the dental office. Certain of these conditions may require clearance from a physician: cardiac disease, hypertension, diabetes and respiratory diseases should all be addressed prior to a given type of sedation. Your dentist will take a thorough medical history and physical assessment before proceeding, and if need be, recommend a product like Colgate® Total®  Advanced Deep Clean to get home care on the right track. He or she may also ask you to receive medical clearance from your physician.

To read the entire article written by James Burke Fine DMD, please visit Colgate.com

Better Image Dentistry
Drew Fairweather, DMD, Michael H. Dodd, DMD
21 Monroe Street
Bridgewater, NJ 08807
(908) 214-7686
BetterImageDentistry.com

Advance Patient Comfort

The Stabident System™

This computer-controlled system allows our dentists to numb just a single tooth, rather than a larger area, in just minutes. The standard anesthesia shot takes between 8 to 12 minutes to take effect. The Stabident system will work in one or two minutes, is pain free, and lasts the same amount of time as with a regular injection.

A Painless Injection

With the Wand™, patients are amazed that they can receive an anesthetic injection and not feel a thing! This high-tech, computerized delivery system is the latest advancement over the 150-year-old technology of the syringe. It also provides a very accurate level of medication. No longer do patients have fears or worries about the pinch from shots.

Better Image Dentistry
Drew Fairweather, DMD, Michael H. Dodd, DMD
21 Monroe Street
Bridgewater, NJ 08807
(908) 214-7686

BetterImageDentistry.com

Sedation Dentistry

Feel Completely Relaxed with Sedation Dentistry
We want all of our patients to feel comfortable during every visit. We understand that some patients have difficulties or anxieties with certain procedures. We offer multiple levels of sedation dentistry to bring relief to these patients. It releases stress and allows complete relaxation. Our practice is one of a handful in the state that is qualified for use of IV sedation. If only lighter sedation is needed, we use nitrous oxide, commonly called laughing gas. And for those who only need to take the edge off, Valium is another option.

If you need the highest level of sedation, we work with a licensed anesthesiologist who administers the medication through an IV directly into the bloodstream. It gives us complete control for an accurate level of sedation that takes effect very quickly. Dr. Fairweather is able to fully concentrate on your treatment while the anesthesiologist monitors your sedation and comfort. You won't remember anything about the procedure, and an hour will seem like a few minutes. This type of sedation also works well for longer appointments to take care of more extensive work at one time. When your treatment is complete, you have someone drive you home. In about an hour, you will be back to normal. 


Better Image Dentistry
Drew Fairweather, DMD, Michael H. Dodd, DMD
21 Monroe Street
Bridgewater, NJ 08807
(908) 214-7686
BetterImageDentistry.com