ANESTHETICS IN THE DENTAL PRACTICE - FOR EXAMPLE, GENERAL ANESTHESIA FOR DENTAL ANXIETY

Although the methods we offer to overcome dental anxiety are very successful, there is a growing number of patients who, for various reasons, do not wish to be the least bit aware during their dental treatments.

Here in our dental practice in Frankfurt Höchst, in cooperation with our specialist in anesthetics, we offer dental treatments with general anesthesia. Anesthesia is an artificial deep sleep where all the senses are switched off. The anesthesiologist (anesthetist) controls the depth of the anesthesia and sedation and constantly monitors the vital functions heart beat, respiration (breathing) and blood pressure. As a result, a dental treatment with general anesthesia is a very safe option, even for older or sick patients. Thanks to modern medicine, the previously common after effects like nausea and dizziness are no longer a problem. Normally, about an hour after the procedure, the patient can be accompanied home.

A dental treatment constitutes a significant stress situation for many patients, which effect is not only psychologically distressful. Unfortunately, until recently, this fear has been put into the category “there’s nothing to do but power through.” These are by no means isolated cases: There are numerous reasons why people would be thankful for relief in connection with dental procedures. And almost none of these reasons appears to be imagined or exaggerated. Frequently, the reason for fear is negative experiences with previous dentist visits.

Children are especially vulnerable and, in such cases, are impossible to convince to go to another dentist appointment.

Or strong defense and gag reflexes in the mouth and throat make a dental treatment simply agony.

Perhaps an allergy to local anesthetics or trypanophobia (fear of needles or injections) is known - which affects approximately 80% - 90% of the German population.

Also, in terms of supporting fearful patients, the dental treatment can become for everyone involved a kind of stress test when the patient is forced into a treatment for a reason he does not understand. When is a treatment with general anesthesia reasonable? For patients with pronounced dental phobia: treatment while you sleep, without the patient being aware. For children or disabled patients who cannot (yet) understand the dental procedure. During long or complicated procedures: these can be done in one sitting, when, if a local anesthetic had been used, would have required two procedures, thus resulting in shorter periods of loss of work, etc.

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