posted
For those who don't know, sedation dentistry was designed for people like me who've put off much needed dental work because they're afraid of dentists, or at least, extremely squicked by the sounds of dental drills.
There are two basic things I'm asking for here.
The first is stories from anyone who's done this.
Next, I'd like to here from Hatrack's medical community. I'm a little nervous about the sedation part.
Here's how it works. They give me a pill to take an hour before my appointment. When I get there, they give me some syrupy stuff to drink and another pill. I go to sleep and wake up with the work done and no memory of it.
From what I understand, I'll be just conscious enogh to respond to questions about how I'm doing, even if it's just with a nod of my head. They'll be monitoring my vitals the whole time.
I'd like to know about the types of anesthesia used in something like this and possible complications.
Any insight would be greatly appreciated.
Posts: 4569 | Registered: Dec 2003
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posted
Huh. I've never heard of taking pills for it. I had to get a LOT of cavities filled two summers ago after having not seen a dentist for three years. I got nitrous (laughing gas) for each session but the last one. The last session sucked w/ pain, though I had gotten over most of my anxiety at that point.
Nitrous was great for it, though. It costs more, of course.
Posts: 1892 | Registered: Mar 2002
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posted
Sedation dentistry is being advertised heavily here as well lately, so I will be interested in what kind of replies you get to this thread, Derrell.
I know I have seriously considered looking into it for my middle son -- who has a great phobia of dentists to the extent that he physically shakes and becomes ill -- but I have not heard from anyone who has gone through the procedure yet.
It makes sense to me -- I mean they put you out for oral surgery like pulling all wisdom teeth -- so what would be so bad about putting you under sedation when you have quite a bit of other dental work to be done?
posted
The sticking point about nitrous was actually why i changed dentists. I went to one dentist who found the cavities (and was kinda mean about it to boot), but didn't offer laughing gas. So I found this other dentist who does.
For those of you who've never had it, I'll give a brief description. You sit in the chair before the actual procedure maybe 15 minutes beforehand. The assistant gives you a breathing thing that covers your nose. You breath a mix of oxygen, (probably other stuff like air), and nitrous. It smells a little sweet, and a tiny bit cold. The assistant adjusts the nitrous to whatever level you feel most comfortable with. Too low and nothing's different. Too much and it feels Really Weird and Uncomfortable.
You feel a little spacey, like it's hard to tell how long it's been since one person's walked into the room and left. After maybe (?) a couple minutes at equilibrium, the dentist comes in. He gives you your novocaine shot, but it's only mildly annoying. Sort of a "Hey,... that's uncool. Oh, it's over." You can hear everything that's going on, but no anxiety. And it doesn't really hurt.
Since I did the same thing without nitrous, I can insist that it makes a HUGE difference. Everything was more painful w/o the nitrous, and it was just not as nice of an experience.
Again, it costs more. I don't know how different the price is if you have dental insurance. But I had to go in for multiple visits for so many cavities... It was SO worth it to get nitrous.
posted
My son tried the nitrous oxide gas to help him -- it made him very nauseous and he ended up puking all over the dentist. We didn't try that again...
posted
Kama? You mean just the normal deadening shot that removes the feeling from the area they are working on, but doesn't affect any of the rest of you?
That is normal procedure. But more dentists now are moving toward the gas or sedation to relax the whole patient instead of just deadening the mouth....
posted
Wow... you don't remember it afterward? That sounds like my kind of dentist!
I hate dentists. I'm not particularly afraid of dentists, I just hate what they do. I get pale and queasy when I force myself to go and have them stick hooked and jagged metal instruments in my mouth and stab me in the gums for an hour. As a consequence, I don't go as often as I should (and I probably have at least one cavity as a result )
Anyway, I've only had one cavity so far, and that was when I was really young, so they just pulled out the tooth. They gave me nitrous (cherry flavored, no less!). The country music turned into alien music. They stabbed me with a needle and it's exactly as described above ("Hey, that's not cool. Oh, never mind."), then pulled out the tooth, which hurt, but I didn't really care.
It's wierd to feel pain and not care about it.
Posts: 903 | Registered: May 2003
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posted
The dentist I went to when I was a kid used nitrous. I hated it. As soon as I was old enough to have any say in the matter I refused it. Now I just get novocain and I’m much happier this way. Even when I had all four of my wisdom teeth pulled, I only had novocain (16 shots!)
Posts: 9866 | Registered: Apr 2002
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posted
I don't know about sedation dentistry--seems like a bad idea to me, if it's what I understand it to be. If they're really administering a general anesthetic, is there an anesthesiologist on staff watching your stats throughout the whole procedure, making sure you're safe? I mean, being put under general anesthetic basically involves balancing the patient on a knife's edge between being alive and...not being alive, right? Seems like a risky thing to do just because you have problems with anxiety about dentists. It seems like a tranquilizer like valium (which is what they offered my wife when she was nervous about getting LASEK surgery a couple of years ago) would be a better plan.
Maybe I'm not understanding what sedation dentistry is? I must not be.
Posts: 16059 | Registered: Aug 2000
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posted
I hated nitrous. Hated, hated, HATED. Not only did it make me feel all helpless, it never managed to numb the pain. I have a very vivid memory of the assistant asking, "Does this still hurt," me saying "yes" very emphatically, and the dentist saying, "with all the gas we've given him, it can't be hurting. Go ahead." It was unpleasant, and I've made it a personal policy to avoid any dentist who uses nitrous.
Posts: 37449 | Registered: May 1999
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posted
I've never used nitrus--I really hate being on a drug that alters my perception of reality, so I've always just preferred to go with the novacaine. Unfortunately, it doesn't work as well on me as it might, so there is still some pain involved when they drill, but luckily I have a relatively high pain threshold.
Posts: 16059 | Registered: Aug 2000
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posted
I had to have general for my wisdom teeth. They had to break a couple of them to get them out, probably with a chisel and mallet. I realize there was a slightly increased risk of death.
My daughter bit the dentist, so I took her somewhere else where they did more what you are talking about. I think it was called ketamine. I was pretty worried about her, but she seemed okay after. Her latest trip to the dentist, I think they used something milder. Can't remember what it was.
P.S. I did learn that dentists have 4 anaesthesia ratings. I assume 1 means novacaine, II means gas. III is various pharmaceuticals, and IIII means they are trained and set up to administer general. I could be wrong, but I think that's what it means. I don't know if the system is nationwide or just in UT.
posted
Perhaps this is the place to ask a question that has been bugging me for a while… but take this as a non-sequitur since it’s about anesthesia and not dentistry.
I’ve always had this irrational fear that if I was put under for surgery or something similar… well obviously I would get general anesthesia. Only my fear was that all it would do is keep me from moving and then make me forget. I figured I was being irrational, but I was (am actually) really freaked that perhaps when someone starts cutting into you, you feel it, you just can’t do anything about it.
Like I said I figured I was being irrational and tried to write that off, but a few weeks ago OSC wrote a column about cosmetic surgery in which he says that this is often, or at least sometimes the case. Doctors, is there any truth to this at all?
posted
I'm like Kama : I never had anything else than the shots that anaesthesiates you locally and hurt. A little. And you still feels things even if that doesn't exactly hurt anymore. Hopefully I have a very good and nice dentist. Hobbes, I always had exactly the same fear ! That's why I chose to have my wisdom tooth removed under local anaesthesic only. *shivers*
[ July 28, 2004, 10:25 AM: Message edited by: Anna ]
Posts: 3526 | Registered: Oct 2001
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posted
I've only ever had local, and never gas (I've never had surgery of any kind, no broken bones, no stiches, nothing). I hate needles but they numb your mouth before they give you the shots, it's not a whole lot of fun to do it this way, but it seems a whole lot more reliable than just making it so you don't "care" about the pain. To me anyways.
posted
I had nitrous once and never wanted it again.
I just get the novocaine, though I'm very resistant to local injections for some reasons (when the doctor removed my ingrown toenail, they couldn't get the local to take - now THAT was no fun) But my dentist knows this and loads me up, and gives it extra time to work.
My dentist also has a cool video thing, where I can watch what he's doing. Why would I want to go to sleep and miss that? How often do you get to see the inside of your mouth?
But I watched the videos of my laparascopic surgeries too. Posts: 14428 | Registered: Aug 2001
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posted
Hobbes, there is an anaesthetic that does something similar to what you're worried about.
For colonoscopies, at least, I know they administer a drug that makes you forget the procedure. You're awake and able to move during the procedure, because the doctor has to ask you to adjust during the procedure (can you move your leg toward you, could you turn more to your side). But it's such an unpleasant procedure, it's a benefit not to remember it. Very weird, I admit.
My dad is a gastroenterologist and does colonoscopies. I actually watched a few last winter. The patient doesn't remember the procedure at all afterwards. My dad's even gotten one done, and says he doesn't remember anything from it either.
Posts: 1261 | Registered: Apr 2004
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posted
Suneun, that's really bizarre. That seems like a drug with some fairly frightening possibilities.
Posts: 16059 | Registered: Aug 2000
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posted
My husband has only had one cavit in his entire life, and it was so minor the dentist just drilled it without anesthesia. he said it was no big deal, only hurt for about ten seconds, sharp pain that went away fast.
Posts: 14428 | Registered: Aug 2001
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posted
I don't know Hobbes. Everytime I've had surgery (four times now?) I've had distinct memories of falling asleep, and of coming awake.
Not fuzzy, regaining my memory stuff, but waking, starting to see the rooms come into focus and hearing the nurses talking, etc.
If I were ever conscious or able to feel anything in my surgeries, then whatever they gave me to take away my memory of it worked.
My husband has said that they often give patients injections in the trauma rooms to paralyze them so they can't move but they are still concious. Versed? Is that name right?
I've always had a fear of being hurt and taken to a trauma center, but being awake. I guess because from hearing him talk about what happens there. For some reason, the chest tube bothers me, the idea that they just shove that sucker in there. I know, I know, if I need a chest tube to keep me alive I'd be grateful for it, but the idea still bothers me.
Posts: 14428 | Registered: Aug 2001
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posted
I know there are several different types and degrees of anesthesia, from local to general, but I suppose we would need an anesthesiologist in here to answer all our questions....
FG
(okay - be honest! How many of you had to look up the spelling of anesthesia before making your post?)
posted
Not me. Of course, I haven't gone back to check my post, so it's entirely possible that I misspelled it too. Posts: 16059 | Registered: Aug 2000
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posted
I got the first two letters without checking, I think that's pretty good for me.
<--*Moving up in the world*
So you're saying that it's possible some anesthesia will have this effect, but people know it and don't use it? There's absolutley no chance that a typical anesthesia will do this? And by typical I mean something that I would get if I went in for wisdom teeth removal, or normal surgery with plenty of warning?
posted
I have twice had anesthesia which is like one step down from general that is supposed to "make you forget" and I remember every thing. The worst one was when they were doing an epidural steroide injection in my neck, and they didn't believe that I was consious and I moved and they went balistic. I remember them saying to me don't worry you won't remember this. Well I did.
I've also had two cases where they did completely knock me out using similar anesthetics where I don't remember anything or very little (when they were removing the wisdom teeth I started to come out of it (which I remember, including them wrenching around in my jaw and a crack when one of the teeth came loose) before they cranked it back up.)
I like the true general the best, like I had with my gall bladder and tonsils surgery. I know it may be slightly more risky than the other types but I really would rather NOT have the memories I have from being conscious!
AJ
(I also have a wierd reaction to some of the anesthesia as they are administering it where I get this prickly tingly feeling like someone applied ben-gay to my nether regions... it is extremely weird and not exactly pleasant)
posted
This is NOT helping. From what I was told, I wouldn't be completely unconscious like with a general anesthetic. I'd be able to answer yes or no questions.
They do monitor your vitals the whole time.
I'm hoping that CT and Hatrack's other medical proffessionals can shed some light on this.
Posts: 4569 | Registered: Dec 2003
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posted
Almost 1 year ago I had dental surgery. 14 teeth removed. Because of my unique situation (seizures and panic attacks)added to my phobia about dentists in general, it was decided the best option was to put me 'under' What happened with me is, I sat down in the chair and they insert a cathater while they were preping the room. I start getting antsy. Dentist sees this and hits me with a shot of valium. I don't remember anything after that hits me. I do know I was also given novacaine but I don't remember getting those shots. 1 hour later I'm 'wakingup' and I'm ready to go home. Of course the Secretary tells my dad to be sure to not let me drive. He says Drive HELL!!! He can barely WALK! If you are extremely afraid of THE CHAIR thn I would say go for the shot and go to sleep. It worked quite well for me.
Posts: 986 | Registered: Jul 2001
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posted
I don't have experience with it personally but my son has had dental work done twice under anesthesia. The first time he was very young, like 3 or 4 and it was done in the hospital because of his heart condition. I didn't see any of that. The second time was several months ago. It was done in the dentists office. Before we left we gave him some valium so he would be more relaxed before the "chair". We took him back and the anesthesiologist started the IV. I don't know what drugs they used. Because my son has now been through so many medical procedures the IV starting was pretty easy. He was monitored the entire time by the anesthesiologist. After he was asleep the dentist started and we went out in the waiting room. About 30-45 mins later they were done and we sat with him in the back room until he came out of the anesthesia. I don't remember how long that took though. Once they made sure he was awake and wasn't having any side effects they sent us home where he slept some more before waking up with a sore mouth. I think you'll be fine Derrell.
Posts: 1132 | Registered: A Long Time Ago!
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posted
Hobbes, I have a very distinct memory of feeling extreme pain when I went under for surgery last time. I mean, I don't actually remember the pain, but I remember crying out and yelling "Oh my God! It hurts!" And I never use the Lord's name in vain, even when I was giving birth with no meds.
When I woke up from the surgery I didn't remember it happening; it came back to me gradually, and I confirmed that it really happened with the doctor that performed the surgery.
For this reason, I won't go under again unless I have to other option.
Posts: 6367 | Registered: Aug 2003
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I truth I wasn't as concerned about the fact that I didn't get enough meds to keep the pain from ever occuring, my problem was the cavalier way the doc(s) dealt with it. No one was that concerned that I was in pain, nor did anyone go to any extreme strides to stop it. Maybe they thought it didn't matter since I was expected to forget all of it, I don't know.
But I thought that you got all the drugs together. Is it possible to just deny the paralytic all together?
(Wait I just saw the post above mine. I must have been given the paralytic since I was intubated. I guess that happened after I finally passed out, or something.)
posted
Yeah I was thinking about that CT. Is it possible that the administration of the meds themselves caused pain?
Posts: 6367 | Registered: Aug 2003
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posted
(((CT)))) Thanks for the response. After reading some of the posts in this thread, I was getting a little nervous. CT
Posts: 4569 | Registered: Dec 2003
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posted
I never used to be scared of dentists, but I am now. I went in for a drilling, the dentist saw that I needed a root canal and was going to reccomend to someone who specialized in them and then figured she could do it, and then the drill broke in my mouth.
Worst of all, halfway, through, I could FEEL it. I motioned that I could, that I still hurt, and she said, "It's almost done." It hurt badly enough I had tears flowing out of my eyes, and she said, "This is hard for me too." (It was the rear-most molar.) This is hard for me too???? Come here, lady, give me the drill, and let me tear into your jaw when you aren't completely numbed!!!!!!
It was a horrifying experience. I'm just sorry I was so miserable and out of it that I just prayed for it all to be over instead of throwing a fit and demanding both more drugs at the time, nitrous if possible, and some sort of tangible apology for attempting a procedure she obviously wasn't capable of doing.
Posts: 26077 | Registered: Mar 2000
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posted
Kat, that's why I'm going the sedation dentistry route. the last time I wnet to the dentist, it was for a root canal. I had 6, count 'em 6 shots of Novacain and still felt everything.
With the sedation dentistry, I take a nap and wake up with a bright, new smile.
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Kama? You mean just the normal deadening shot that removes the feeling from the area they are working on, but doesn't affect any of the rest of you?![[Frown]](frown.gif)
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