A primer on dental sedation and anesthesia procedures

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Many people are afraid of going to the dentist for many reasons: pain they've come to associate with certain dental procedures, or memories of unpleasant childhood experiences in the dentist's office. Some people even choose to live with uncorrected, often painful, dental problems rather than set foot in a dentist's office.

Thankfully, modern dentistry utilizes sedation techniques in order to address patients' anxiety and fear.

In sedation dentistry, a trained professional administers medication to help the patient relax during dental procedures. The following are some of the levels of anesthesia used.

General anesthesia The patient is unconscious, unable to sense pain, and will most likely not remember anything during the time he or she was anesthetized.

General anesthesia is administered by an anesthetist through an injection or as an inhaled gas. The anesthetist will monitor the patient throughout the entire dental procedure. General anesthesia is generally an option for extremely anxious patients.

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Deep sedation The patient is on the edge of consciousness: he or she cannot be easily awakened but might respond to pain.

Moderate sedation The patient is given a combination of sedatives and anesthetics to help him or her relax and to block the pain. The patient will be able to talk, but might slur his or her speech. He or she might not remember much of the procedure.

Minimal sedation The patient is completely awake yet relaxed. He or she will be able to breathe normally and respond to verbal prompts.

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Local anesthesia is used in minor dental procedures such as filling cavities or preparing teeth for dental crowns. The oral health care provider will swab the affected area with a topical anesthetic before injecting it with a local anesthetic. This numbs the area for a short period of time.

Most oral care practitioners can administer minimal sedation and local anesthesia. However, certificate holders in deep sedation and general anesthesia from the Commission on Dental Accreditation can perform these complex sedation and anesthesia procedures. Two examples are dental anesthesiologists and oral and maxillofacial surgeons.

Patients who are anxious about undergoing dental procedures and wish to know if they can become candidates for dental sedation should speak to a trusted and capable oral health care provider.

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