Dental Anesthesiology is a dentistry specialty that includes the administration of local and regional anesthesia, sedation, and related procedures. This is a famous specialty among dentists interested in expanding their service offerings. All Dental Specialties require additional training to become Board Certified.
Dental Anesthesiology combines medical and dental anesthetic principles to achieve maximum patient safety. The Dental Anesthesiologist needs to understand the physiology of pain to provide safe dental care.
Anesthesiology Benefits
Anesthesiology is beneficial for the following reasons:
Consolidating Multiple Appointments Into One Appointment
Dental Anesthesiologists can manage multiple procedures on one patient on the same day. This keeps patients out of the dental chair for less time, decreasing overall cost. This, in turn, reduces the amount of time and X-rays required to complete a diagnostic workup. This may allow you to schedule more patients per day and provide better service for your patients.
Minimizing Sensitivity After Procedures
Anesthesiology can minimize postoperative sensitivity after dental procedures, such as root canals, crowns, extractions, implant placement, and periodontal procedures. Dental Anesthesiologists are trained to provide additional anesthesia after the process is complete to minimize post-operative discomfort and speed up recovery time.
Enhancing Patient Comfort During Procedures
Some patients may be very nervous before a dental visit because of past experiences or previous bad dental experiences. An anxious or nervous patient may not be fully relaxed, and the patient’s mouth may not be completely numb during a procedure, resulting in discomfort and pain. The Dental Anesthesiologist can provide comfort and minimize anxiety through sedation and relaxation techniques.
Enhancing Oral Hygiene
Anesthesiology may benefit your patients by using conscious sedation to perform an oral hygiene procedure, such as scaling and root planning. This can avoid the need for general anesthesia, which is more expensive, requires preoperative testing, and has a longer recovery time.
Process of Anesthesiology
Anesthesiology begins with carefully evaluating the patient’s medical history and current medications. The dentist will also perform a complete oral examination to identify any issues. The oral examination will include a comprehensive review of the patient’s medical history and current symptoms. A dental X-ray usually follows this to determine the extent of the problem and help identify if any additional issues need to be addressed.
After identifying the problem, the dentist will present the patient with options for treatment. Based on the patient’s needs, desires, and financial capabilities, treatment choice may vary. The dentist can provide additional information about each option, including risks and benefits, to ensure the correct decision is made.
Although dental anesthetics are considered very safe, it is always important to discuss the procedure and any potential risks with the patient. Patients should always feel comfortable asking questions about the process, and any concerns will be addressed before performing the treatment.
The dental anesthetics will vary depending on the procedure that needs to be completed. Some of these include nitrous oxide (laughing gas), conscious sedation (midazolam), general anesthesia (propofol, fentanyl).
During the process, the dentist will monitor your patient’s vital signs. Most dental anesthetics are well tolerated and relatively safe, but there are always risks associated with anesthesia. Possible complications can be due to allergic reactions or other medical issues. Although complications are infrequent, they will be discussed, and the patient will be made aware of any potential risks.
Anesthesiology can help provide comfort for highly nervous patients or those uncomfortable with traditional anesthesia methods. The patient’s mouth may also become numb faster so the dentist can complete procedures in a shorter time frame, reducing time spent in the dental chair and improving the patient’s overall experience.
