Everything You Need to Know About Dental Anaesthesia
Did you know that nitrous oxide has been used in surgical and dental anaesthesia since the mid-1800s? Dental Anaesthetics are drugs that are used to make a patient numb, typically through the use of injections. This is to make dental procedures more comfortable or bearable for the patient.
Nitrous Oxide is a gas that can be used to help patients achieve an improved dental experience both from the use of anaesthetics for numbness and from anxiety perspectives. But is it the best anaesthesia a dentist can use?
Some recent studies reveal the success rates of nitrous oxide in both adults and children. The insights of these studies can help dentists reduce pain during dental treatments. That, in turn, reduces the fear of dentistry that keeps so many patients from attending to their oral health.
To learn more about nitrous oxide success rates and benefits, keep reading.
What Dental Anaesthesia Works Best?
A recent study published in Anaesthesia Progress looked at what dental anaesthesia works best. Researchers compared nitrous oxide and oxygen versus room air/oxygen on injection pain. They also looked at mandibular pulpal anaesthesia success. Pulp is the term for the nerve within a tooth and this receives the anaesthetic when a dentist uses an injection to induce numbness.
105 patients rated their anxiety levels before their injection. They also rated their pain levels at each of the 3 injection sites. Pulpal anaesthesia was also evaluated over a 60-minute period.
The researchers found that the pain scores of the nitrous oxide/oxygen group were lower than that of the room air/oxygen group. They concluded that nitrous oxide administration can reduce the pain of dental injections.
Reducing Fear in Patients
Between 10 and 30% of individuals have anxiety about pain in dental procedures. Dental anxiety stops people from going to the dentist. And this only exacerbates dental issues.
Dentists can reduce the pain involved in procedures with nitrous oxide. Easing the concerns of patients who fear pain can increase their confidence in dental visits.
Making Dentistry More Comfortable for Children
Making teeth numb is a particular challenge for paediatric patients. Especially when dentists are trying to correct diseased tooth pulp. This is because children have larger pulp in their teeth.
This means there’s more blood and nerve supply in their teeth. That also means that their teeth are more sensitive. So, getting the right anaesthesia is especially important for children.
Another recent study published in Anaesthesia Progress looked at the success rates of pulpal anaesthesia when local anaesthesia was combined with either nitrous oxide and oxygen or just oxygen. This study found that local anaesthesia with nitrous oxide and oxygen might increase the success rate of pulpal anaesthesia.
Nitrous oxide, therefore, can make help create a stress-free visit for children, too. Plus, it’s completely safe and easy to administer.
Have You Been Putting Off Dental Work?
Dental anaesthesia is a key component of keeping patients comfortable and pain-free during dental treatments. A few recent studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of nitrous oxide in this regard. Nitrous oxide seems to improve the experience of both adults and children in various procedures.
Meaning that any dentist that uses this in their practice is likely to deliver a more pleasant dental experience. The Bondi dentists are among that select group. Contact us to book your appointment today.