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Dental Surgery Sedative Reduces Recovery Time

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If you have to go in for a dental procedure, you want to know that the sedative they give you will be strong enough to keep you comfortable throughout.

However, few want to be burdened with a long-lasting effect. In fact, most patients are hopeful that a dental procedure and the recovery from it won’t interrupt their schedule and daily responsibilities.

In order to accommodate the needs of dental patients, studies have been performed to determine whether a combination of sedatives would produce a more desirable result.

Participants in a recent study were divided into two groups, each of which were to have wisdom teeth removed. The double-blind study monitored both the effects of the sedatives during surgery and the time needed to emerge from the anesthesia afterward.

The control group received propofol-remifentanil intravenously, while the second group was dosed with propofol-ketamine.

Those in the second group were under the effects of the anesthesia much longer. On average, they required an additional six and a half minutes to emerge from those effects, as compared to the participants that received remifentanil.

They also had a difficult time regaining composure to prepare for discharge.

Those receiving ketamine required nearly three-quarters of an hour to reach that level of lucidity, whereas those in the first group needed less than half an hour on average.

While the remifentanil is a more expensive option for sedation, it has proven its worth by providing patients comfort during a procedure and a short recovery time.

For more information on this comparison, continue reading the full article.

Austin Dentist Shares Tooth Extraction Before and After Tips

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Though dentists will generally do everything in their power to preserve the natural strength and beauty of teeth, unfortunately, there are times when a damaged tooth cannot be saved.

It could be that the tooth failed to form correctly, suffered a traumatic break, didn’t respond well to dental treatment, or is simply too big for the allotted space.

Whatever the reason might be for the prescribed extraction, there are a few things you can expect during and after the procedure.

Before Tooth Extraction

Leading up to the extraction, the dentist will likely have an x-ray taken to determine how to most effectively approach the removal. He or she will also ask for a list of medications, vitamins, and supplements that you take on a regular basis. In some instances, antibiotics will be required prior to surgery, if there is an infection present, a weakened immune system is suspected, or if you have been diagnosed with a certain medical disorder.

During Tooth Extraction

In some cases, a tooth extraction will call for general anesthesia, however in many cases, the dentist can perform the procedure with a localized numbing agent or conscious sedation. If the tooth is visible, a simple extraction will be performed, which means that the dentist will loosen the tooth with a dental tool known as an elevator. Forceps are then used to dislodge it. If the tooth, however, is still beneath the surface (impacted), then an incision must be made into the gums to reach the tooth beneath.

After Tooth Extraction

There will likely be some discomfort after the procedure is complete and the dentist will generally prescribe a pain reliever or suggest an over-the-counter NSAID routine. A light amount of bleeding for a day or so afterward is not uncommon, but should cease relatively quickly. Ice packs can be used to minimize facial swelling and the area should heal within one to three weeks, depending on the type of extraction performed.

For more information about the procedure and the risks, continue reading the full article.

The History of Dental Implants

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You may think that dental implants are a late 20th century discovery, but the earliest examples actually date back to 600 AD and the early Mayans tribes.

It wasn’t until 1950 that an experiment on rabbit’s ears resulted in the discovery of how bone seemed to meld with titanium. That discovery led to the first modern dental implant put in place by Dr. Leonard Linkow in 1952.

Taking these discoveries further, an Italian doctor, Stefano Tramonte, began using titanium for dental restorations. While many in the medical fields lobbied to focus titanium tests on hip and knee surgery, the mouth was far more accessible, so dental restructuring became the foundation for further study in the use of titanium as an implant medium.

Originally implants were introduced some weeks after the initial extraction, but recently there have been successes with implants placed directly into the extraction socket the same day the tooth is removed.

While titanium was the first medium successfully used for implants, dentists are now exploring the use of dioxide of zirconium. It is comparable to titanium, but it is brighter and more closely resembles the material of a natural tooth.

Dental implant surgery can be performed by any licensed dentist or oral surgeon (there is no specialty recognized by the ADA for this service). They are done under local or general anesthesia. The success rate for implants is about 95%.

Learn more about dental implants by reading the full article.