Fearless dental treatment is possible!
The dentist phobia that is one of the most prevalent fears among the people may turn out to be a nightmare for the majority of people. Prof. Dr. Şeref Ezirganlı, who made explanations about the fact that various numbers of procedures, applied at the dental treatment, could be carried out with sedation or general anaesthesia, indicated that it was possible for the patient to complete his/her treatment without feeling any pain or fear.
We have heard about several comments from the people in and around of us with relation to the dentist phobia. The causes such as needle phobia available among some patients, nausea that occurs as a result of the faucial reflex in some of the patients brought forth the number of patients keeping away from the dentist to an ignorable level. Various numbers of procedures can be made through the method of sedation or general anaesthesia in these types of patients having dentist phobia and especially among the children. The procedures that are applied with this method provide a more reliable and sound treatment setting both for the patient and dentist.
VARIOUS NUMBERS OF PATIENTS LOSE THEIR TEETH
Various numbers of patients come to the point of losing their teeth as a result of the degree of fear, experienced by them. Unfortunately, it may not be possible to carry out and apply the procedure all the time. Prof. Dr. Şeref Ezirganlı from the Faculty of Dentistry of the Istanbul Gelisim University (IGU), who indicated that a great majority of these patients consists of children, said: ‘’Even if we try to persuade our patients that the procedure to be made would not be a difficult type, we may not achieve it all the time. It is significantly difficult to persuade especially the children. We propose sedation or general anaesthesia to our patients subject to the procedure to be carried out and person.’’ and further indicated that it might not be possible under some cases arising from the systemic or mental state of the patients to carry out the dental treatments of the patients under normal clinical conditions and at this point, the operating room conditions might be required.
PATIENT'S FEAR IS SUPPRESSED
A semi-state of sleep is created in the patient by the administration of sedative (relaxant) medicines by the anaesthetists to the patient through sedation. Thus, Mr. Ezirganlı, who indicated that the fears of the patient are subdued without losing his consciousness, continued to indicate as follows: ‘’We can divide the sedation into 3 groups according to their degree. At the surface sedation, the consciousness of the patient is subdued very slightly. The revitalization and regaining consciousness of the patient occurs swiftly. At the procedure, described by us as the medium degree of sedation, the protective reflexes of the patient such as respiratory and circulatory functions continue in its normal course and most of the time, the patient does not remember, most of the time, the procedures so carried out. At the deep sedation procedure, however, where the consciousness of the patient is subdued to an important degree, the respiratory and circulatory support is required. The stage coming after the deep sedation is the general anaesthesia.’’ and further emphasized that under necessary circumstances, the general anaesthesia technique, known to the public as ‘’Administering Narcosis’’, to anaesthetize the patient where he/she loses his/her consciousness fully, is applied.
APPLICABLE IN VARIOUS NUMBERS OF PATIENT GROUPS
The sedation and general anaesthesia is applied frequently in various numbers of patient groups, mainly chin and joint surgery, and furthermore, in the surgery of mouth cancers, implant applications and impacted tooth operations. The procedures are applied upon approval of the physician and anaesthetist, generally, in the patients, who have dentist phobia, excessive faucial reflex and nausea, and mentally and physically disabled patients and in the meantime, children. Especially in child patients, most of the anaesthetists prefer the general anaesthesia in order not to put the life of the patient at risk. In the event that the procedure due to be carried out has short duration, the sedation is preferred as an alternative rather than the application of the general anaesthesia to the patient.
IT IS COMPLETED IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE
The procedures, made with the general anaesthesia and sedation, have several advantages. Prof. Dr. Şeref Ezirganlı having emphasized that the patients, who cannot have their treatments be made as a result of the dentist phobia, could easily have such procedures be made, further added: ‘’The entire treatments of the patients, who suffer from excessive faucial reflex, could be completed in a single session (appointment). Furthermore, possible injuries that may occur as a result of sudden uncontrolled movements of the chid patients would be prevented. The most important aspect of it is that the patient feels no pain at all and does not remember the procedures, made, when he/she wakes up. Namely, all will have been completed when he opens his/her eyes.’’
