We are seeing more and more children and adults throughout New Hampshire use IV sedation to get the dental work they need. But we are also seeing an increase in incidents happening when the dentist perform both the anesthesia and the dental procedures simultaneously.
Many of us don’t really question the dentist. They take some x-rays, perform an exam, and tell us what’s wrong. We explain our situation, whether it’s our anxiety, gag reflex, precious experience keeping us from the procedures we need. Or our child who is deathly afraid of the dentist or can’t sit still in the chair. The dentist may suggest something more than just Novocain.
This something more may be IV sedation. It is a great way to get dental work done. Not only does it take away all the pain, you also won’t remember much, if any of the appointment. But don’t worry, you won’t be completely asleep and you will be able to answer any questions the dentist may ask. Sounds great! But not so fast. Is it safe?
Don’t Panic
The answer is yes, it is safe when taking the necessary precautions. A recent article in Dentistry Today stresses the importance of having a separate anesthesia provider. This is why many dentists are having a third party Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) come into their office to perform the sedation and monitor the patient.
The Dentist Should Not Be the Anesthesia Provider and Monitor
In many of the fatalities following sedation for dental procedures, the same person was performing the dental procedure and monitoring the patient. As the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) “Guideline for Monitoring and Management of Pediatric Patients During and After Sedation for Diagnostic and Therapeutic Procedures” states:
“The use of moderate sedation shall include the provision of a person, in addition to the practitioner, whose responsibility is to monitor appropriate physiologic parameters and to assist in any supportive or resuscitation measures, if required.”
