Dental care is an unpleasant process that can be accompanied by severe pain. Because of this, many patients are afraid to go to the dentist and only aggravate their condition. To relieve pain and relieve a person of discomfort during treatment, doctors began to use anesthesia. What types of anesthesia exist? Does she have any contraindications? Do they do it for pregnant women and children? Can I drink after dental anesthesia? What side effects and allergic reactions can occur with its use? These questions concern many patients, so we will talk about them in detail in this article.
Why do I need anesthesia for dental treatment?
Now anesthesia is generally indicated for the treatment of serious pathologies that cause severe pain. However, in private clinics, in the absence of contraindications, the patient can order anesthesia for any procedure. Most often, dental anesthesia is used to remove one or more teeth. It is also shown in the following cases:
- eliminate deep caries, especially if several teeth need to be treated at once;
- complete removal of the pulp or its amputation;
- any surgical intervention;
- preparing the patient for dental prosthetics and installing implants;
- correction of malocclusion.
Sometimes anesthesia is prescribed for the treatment of secondary caries, since the actions of the dentist in this case can also cause pain. At the same time, depending on the type of pathology, completely different types of anesthesia are used.
Contraindications for which anesthesia should not be used
Modern anesthesia is considered a safe and generally available procedure, but still has an extensive list of contraindications, due to which it is not recommended to use it. In some cases, more gentle drugs can be selected, but sometimes even their use is dangerous to he alth.
The use of anesthesia in patients suffering from bronchial asthma can lead to serious consequences. You can not do it and people who have recently suffered a stroke or stroke. Recent heart surgery is another serious contraindication.
The use of anesthesia during dental treatment is not recommended for patients with reduced blood clotting. People with mental disabilities should be treated with caution. Among the contraindications are diabetes mellitus, endocrine diseases, as well as some pathologies of the cardiovascular system.vascular system. For example, tachycardia or angina pectoris. Some drugs should not be used in patients suffering from kidney or liver failure, as the drugs put a serious strain on these organs.
Many people wonder if it is safe to drink after dental anesthesia. But not everyone knows that you can not drink alcohol either before or after the procedure. Alcohol reduces the patient's sensitivity to the administered medication, so it may simply not work. Don't go to the dentist on an empty stomach.
Constant medication can also be a contraindication for anesthesia. For example, it is not recommended for people taking anticoagulants that can reduce blood clotting. Pain relief will also have to be abandoned when taking antidepressants and adrenoblockers.
General and local dental anesthesia
Modern dental clinics can offer clients two types of anesthesia: local and general. Most often, of course, it is the first option that is used. Local anesthesia is able to anesthetize a certain area of the oral cavity where the affected tooth is located. The patient does not feel discomfort, but is conscious. After treatment, a person can safely go home, because after a few hours the pain relief will pass on its own and no additional help from the dentist is required.
Few people know whether it is possible to take food, alcohol and some medications after dental anesthesia. Local anesthesia is considered safer than general anesthesia. ATDepending on the medication, food and liquids can be taken within a few hours after treatment. But from alcohol, even with local anesthesia, you should stay for 2-3 days.
Some patients are so afraid of dental treatment that they ask if dental anesthesia can be replaced with general anesthesia. Yes, some clinics offer such a service, but it is only for people who need long-term and serious treatment. General anesthesia is given to patients who need to remove several teeth at a time, implant placement, jaw surgery. Anesthesia is indicated for people suffering from severe dental phobia or psychological illness. For example, it is recommended for patients with epilepsy in the treatment of teeth.
Types of local anesthesia
Thus, the most common option for anesthesia in dentistry is local anesthesia, which is used in most ordinary cases. At the same time, modern medicine offers patients several types of it. For example, when removing tartar, local anesthesia is used, but usually the gums are not much anesthetized. In the treatment of advanced caries, on the contrary, the use of more effective drugs will be required.
The most common types of local anesthesia used in dental clinics are:
- application anesthesia;
- infiltration anesthesia;
- conductor;
- intraosseous;
- intracanal;
- intraligamentary;
- stem.
These are only the most popular types of pain relief. Let's talk about some of them in more detail below.
Application anesthesia
Dental anesthesia application is the safest pain relief option, which is usually used to treat minor oral pathologies. It is sometimes used as an initial remedy to desensitize the gums before more serious medications are introduced. As a rule, sprays, ointments or gels for surface application to soft tissues are used for this. The most common active ingredient of such drugs is lidocaine or benzocaine. Ointments and gels are more popular, since when using sprays and aerosols, it is more difficult for a specialist to choose the right dosage. They can also enter the respiratory tract and bloodstream, which increases the likelihood of side effects and complications.
Thus, it is not necessary to use a syringe to administer topical anesthesia. The drug, getting on the soft tissues, blocks the nerve endings for a short time. However, the duration of anesthesia is not great. Sensitivity returns to the patient after 10-25 minutes. Therefore, this type of anesthesia is used for short-term dental procedures.
Infiltration anesthesia
The most common option for local anesthesia in dentistry is infiltration dental anesthesia. It is used to treat caries and pulpitis, as well as during some surgical procedures.operations. To anesthetize the necessary area of the oral cavity, the specialist makes several injections next to it in the gums. Most often used to anesthetize the upper teeth. Popular drugs used for infiltration anesthesia are medicines whose active ingredient is articaine or trimecaine.
Effect after the introduction of the drug comes within a few minutes. It usually lasts for an hour. The doctor, if necessary, can give another injection to continue his work. Infiltration anesthesia is considered a safe pain relief option, as the drugs are administered in small doses.
Conduction anesthesia
Conduction dental anesthesia is used to treat more serious pathologies, as it allows you to anesthetize a larger area of \u200b\u200bthe oral cavity. The medicine in this case is injected in the immediate vicinity of the nerve, and then soaks it and the area nearby. It is carried out to eliminate the pathologies of the lower jaw. Anesthesia has proven its effectiveness in extracting teeth, opening purulent abscesses in the oral cavity, and treating chronic periodontitis.
After the injection of the drug, the sensitivity loses a vast area of the oral cavity associated with the anesthetized nerve. Anesthesia works for 1-2 hours, and then passes on its own. It is important to choose the right specialist who conducts the treatment, since an incorrectly given injection can lead to a serious complication - neuropathy. It occurs if the doctor during anesthesiahit the nerve itself with a needle.
Intraosseous anesthesia
Intraosseous anesthesia is necessary for major dental interventions. It is chosen if conduction or infiltration anesthesia could not effectively relieve pain from the affected area. Often it is used in the removal or treatment of lower molars, as well as teeth located on the alveolar process. However, it is not particularly popular, since it is quite difficult to introduce it. First, the doctor must cut the mucous membrane, and then make a hole in the bone. A needle is inserted into it, through which, under high pressure, the drug is slowly injected into the spongy substance.
The advantage of this anesthesia is its high efficiency - the jaw area loses sensitivity almost instantly. However, due to the complexity of the procedure, there is a high risk of complications, especially if the drug enters the bloodstream due to a doctor's mistake.
Intracanal anesthesia
To administer this type of anesthesia, the doctor makes a hole in the tooth with a drill, and then, using a syringe with a needle, injects the drug into the pulp or the canal itself. In some cases, anesthesia is carried out directly into the carious cavity. After the introduction of the drug, the patient loses sensitivity almost immediately. The action of anesthesia is sufficient to perform the basic procedures necessary to treat a damaged tooth. However, due to the complex technique of pain relief, doctors choose it infrequently, preferring easier options.
Anesthesia in the nurserydentistry
Many adult patients have had a fear of dentists since childhood. Therefore, now doctors are trying by their actions to prevent the development of dental phobia in babies. Dental anesthesia is also done for children, however, taking into account some features of a growing organism. The body of a small child is much more sensitive to the introduction of painkillers. It is almost impossible to choose a completely safe remedy in this case. Mepivacain and Arikain are considered the safest drugs for treating children's teeth.
As a rule, general anesthesia is used to treat serious pathologies in babies under 3 years old. For older children, the use of infiltration and conduction anesthesia is recommended. In order not to frighten the child with a painful injection, the doctor first removes the sensitivity of the gums using topical anesthesia.
Features of the use of anesthesia in the treatment of teeth in pregnant women
When choosing an anesthetic drug, it is important to choose a remedy that does not harm the fetus in the womb. During pregnancy, dental anesthesia is carried out with the help of sparing medicines. It is not recommended to use vasoconstrictor drugs and anesthetics containing adrenaline. So, the best option is anesthesia with Mepivacain. It contains no adrenaline. It is also recommended for children, the elderly and patients suffering from cardiovascular diseases.
Shouldlimited to local dental anesthesia during pregnancy. In severe cases, sedation is used. With its help, you can increase the pain threshold of a woman and calm her by entering into a half-asleep. The pregnant woman is in a relaxed state during treatment, but is able to respond to the doctor's requests if necessary.
Overview of used anesthesia drugs
In the past, the most popular drugs for dentists were "Lidocaine" and "Novocaine". They are still used in practice, usually in public hospitals, where treatment is provided free of charge. Private clinics are trying to use modern anesthesia for the treatment of toothache. Anesthesia in them is carried out using the following drugs:
- "Ultracaine" - it is believed that it is twice as effective as "Lidocaine", the anesthetic has practically no contraindications and is easily tolerated by children, the elderly and pregnant women.
- "Scandonest" - produced on the basis of mepivacaine, does not contain adrenaline, therefore it can be used to treat pregnant women.
- "Septanest" is an analogue of "Ultracain".
- "Artikain".
- "Ubistezin" and others.
Modern drugs are supplied in cartridge syringes. They wear special needles, which are much thinner than usual. This reduces the pain of the injection itself.
Side effects and individualreactions
In practice, anesthesia is now considered a safe procedure. Therefore, after dental anesthesia, side effects and complications are practically not observed. In rare cases, patients may experience individual reactions to the administered drug. At the injection site, the patient may feel pain and burning. This is considered the norm - such unpleasant symptoms will soon pass. It is extremely rare for an overdose to occur. If the doctor mistakenly hits the nerve with a needle, then the person may suffer from a long-term loss of his sensitivity. Sometimes bruising and bruising, as well as swelling, may occur at the injection site. In exceptional cases, a specialist may mistakenly break a needle or infect soft tissues.
Alcohol after dental anesthesia should not be consumed for several days until the drug is completely eliminated from the body. The exact time will depend on the medicine used for treatment.
What should I do after dental treatment with anesthesia?
As a rule, after a few hours, the sensitivity returns to the patient on its own, so no additional procedures are required. Of course, this does not apply to general anesthesia, which is carried out in hospitals under the strict supervision of a doctor.
After dental anesthesia, it is not recommended to take too hot food and drinks, as you can not calculate the temperature correctly and get burned. The pain relief usually goes away on its own. But you can speed it up by applying a warm compress to the injection site or lightly massaging the injection site. After treatment, pain mayto return is also considered the norm. If the sensitivity does not return for a long time, then you should seek help from a doctor. This symptom indicates nerve damage during treatment, which means that you will need the help of not only a dentist, but also a neurologist.
