Dental Anesthesia And Analgesia In Dentistry
The important advance in oral surgery and implantology techniques has been accompanied by the introduction of dental anesthesia and analgesia. In this way, a surgical procedure that could be unpleasant becomes an almost imperceptible experience.
The sensation of pain that manifests itself during dental treatment is a factor that influences the patient when it comes to wanting to see the dental professional. For this reason, dental anesthesia and analgesia is an issue that is constantly under study by doctors and dentists.
Today, there are several medications that help make dental visits more relaxed and comfortable. Some medications control pain, others help the patient to relax, and others make them slightly sleepy during dental treatment.
To decide which dental anesthesia and analgesia to use, the type of procedure, the general health of the patient, his history of allergies and the degree of anxiety must be evaluated.
What is dental anesthesia and analgesia?
Anesthetics are substances that induce the temporary inability to perceive a stimulus. This is because they affect the peripheral or central nervous system to be able to suppress responses to pain, pressure and touch.
Anesthetics can be administered directly to the mucosa, through an infiltration, or to a nerve trunk. Or, administered systemically to induce general anesthesia to the patient.
As for painkillers, they are drugs that prevent the sensation of pain from being triggered. To achieve this , they inhibit the enzymes responsible for the synthesis of the molecules that trigger this unpleasant sensation.
Local anesthesia
Local anesthesia is one that is applied directly to the tissues of the area to be operated on. It is used for minor interventions on very circumscribed parts.
This type of anesthesia blocks the nerves that feel or transmit pain. This causes the tissues in the mouth to go numb. Therefore, local anesthetics have to be administered in an area close to the nerve, in order for them to diffuse properly and provide deep anesthesia.
Sometimes before the infiltration is carried out, the dentist applies a topical anesthetic to numb the area. With this, the administration of the local anesthetic is achieved as less annoying as possible.
The application of local anesthetics is usually carried out in one of the following dental procedures:
- Fillings
- Treatment of gum disease.
- Placement of crowns.
General anesthesia
In the event that pain sensitivity needs to be completely eliminated throughout the body, an anesthetic should be administered that induces general anesthesia. This type of analgesia is used to a lesser extent than the local one in the dental field.
This is because general anesthesia has many contraindications and many side effects that persist for several days after the procedure. These side effects can be some of the following:
- Bronchospasm
- Variations in motor activity.
- Increased blood pressure.
However, this type of anesthesia also has a number of advantages. These can be to ensure tranquility and the absence of disturbances for the patient, as well as a lower risk of developing inflammatory processes after the intervention.
General anesthesia is reserved for patients who show signs of panic before a surgical intervention of this type. It is also used when tooth injury is very complex and for some related chronic diseases.
Dental anesthesia and analgesia: pain relievers
Analgesic drugs in the dental field are indicated for the short-term treatment of moderate to severe pain and for the treatment of acute, moderate and severe postoperative pain.
The most widely used painkillers are NSAIDs or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. They are a group of drugs that act, above all, by inhibiting cyclooxygenases. Cyclooxygenases are enzymes responsible for the synthesis of prostaglandiles.
For their part, prostaglandins are substances in our body that, among other functions, mediate pain. Therefore, by inhibiting its synthesis, the sensation of pain cannot be triggered. Some common analgesic drugs are ibuprofen, paracetamol or ketorolac, among others.
As you have seen, there are many methods used to avoid or reduce pain in dental interventions. The dental professional will be in charge of choosing the most appropriate in each case.
