Conscious sedation with nitrous oxide

Treatment of anxious patients

The World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes as a real disease, the fear of the dentist, according to recent studies, 15-20% of the population shows a strong discomfort - the 'dental phobic - that exceeds the normal difficulties in care dental. The set of symptoms occurs in tremors and tachycardia accompanied by a lowering of blood pressure, sweating, nausea, choking sensation and severe anxiety in general. Although only a part of the population is susceptible to this pathology, it is clear that the fear of the dentist remains widespread: bad information, tools to shape and noise anxiety, or traumatic childhood experiences ,fear for a so intimate part of the body, can induce patient to continually postpone dental care. Often is used  pain therapy or antibiotic, but merely postpone the solution of the problem, with the consequent risk of worsening or impairment of not only the chewing and digestive system, but also facial aesthetics. The dentophobie has harmful consequences for dental health and general well-being. Inflammation and pain in teeth, gums and alveolar bone may affect the masticator function and digestion. It suffers, however, the aesthetics, fearful, and many patients are embarrassed because of their bad teeth and bad breath that they adopt. Confidence in themselves, often already affected, undergoes further damage. They often do not even have the courage to talk about their nightmares, because in the past have been ridiculed by friends or even by Your dentist.  This creates a vicious circle that further aggravates the situation. Our clinic has facilities that allow treatment without fear and relaxed even in difficult cases.  Conscious sedation with nitrous oxide is the ideal solution for the treatment of anxious patients, let's discover it together! Conscious sedation with nitrous oxide, which is considered to be one of the most innovative methods in sedating the patient, has a very broad use in the modern medicinal practices. The analgesic and sedative (calming) gas (chemically N2O, nitrous oxide also known as laughing gas) had been discovered in the nineteenth century. It has since been used as an anesthetic gas millions of times. If, before the introduction of local anesthesia in dentistry, the analgesic effect of nitrous oxide) today are its anxiolytic and sedative properties that make it an excellent way to treat fearful patients. In the U.S. and many other countries (England, Australia, Scandinavia) more than 50% of the dentists regularly use nitrous oxide.

Function of conscious sedation!
Through a small nasal mask is given a mixture of oxygen and nitrous oxide. After a few breaths starts the effect: a feeling of lightness and relaxation, the patient reaches a state of trance. Remains always conscious and master of his senses. Fears and tensions are transformed into a comforting sense of security. The special headset reduces noise and unpleasant treatment and creates a suggestive and relaxing music that reinforces the hypnotic effect of the gas. The patient can relax completely leaving free his pleasant thoughts, as time goes by. Fear and the sensitivity of pain decrease significantly. The gum injection of anesthetic for many patients is a real nightmare and is disappearing quickly from the standard operating procedures in most dental practices. Even the annoying gagging (for example during the impression taking) and the swallowing reflex, typical of many anxious patients, are almost completely eliminated under conscious sedation. The dentist can choose the intensity of the sedative effect by varying the ratio between the mixture of oxygen - nitrous oxide "individually for each patient. After the session, the patient breathes pure oxygen for about five minutes. When the effect of the gas has disappeared completely, the patient leaves the dental surgery alone and in perfectly normal physical and mental conditions. The recovery advantage of this technique is a crucial advantage for inhalation analgesia over other methods (oral or intravenous).
Ideal even for children
Children are always a nightmare for both parents and dentists. It is almost impossible to get a child to sit on the dentist’s chair. Nitrous oxide is an ideal anesthetic for the treatment of fearful children,(please note: that children between 6-7 years of age must able to breathe consciously through the nose). Thanks to its strong anxiolytic and relaxing effect of the gas, about 80% of children who refuse dental treatment, can be treated. The reduction of swallowing reflex and vomiting, maintaining full consciousness, allows the creation of correct reconstructions (eg fillings) that children often do not allow (defensive reaction, repeated closure of the mouth, etc.).. In many cases, due to conscious sedation, treatment under general anesthesia can be avoided.

Risks and side effects
The  conscious seduction inhalation is an extremely safe method: in millions of documented cases in the U.S., where it is used by about 50% of dentists, has never been a serious inconvenience in using this method.
The method is however not suitable for patients with nasal breathing difficulty, for children under three years or for the handicapped that cannot voluntarily breathe through the nose. As a side effect, in rare cases it can affect with nausea and vomiting.
In our study, the sedation is administered under control pulse oximetry: a sensor in the finger constantly monitors your heart rate and oxygen saturation in patients' blood (pulse oximetry), bringing an added value of security.