Anesthesia enables the comfortable performance of medical operations that would otherwise cause severe pain. There are different degrees of anesthesia avaliable for the doctor to choose. Their decision is based on multiple factors such as whether it is appropriate for the procedure as well as for the patient.

The three types of anesthesia that exist:

  • General anesthesia results in unconsciousness and a complete lack of sensation.
  • Sedation inhibits without resulting in loss of consciousness.
  • Local anesthesia, which blocks sensation in an isolated part of the body.

Why anaesthesia is used during medical surgeries:

  • To induce temporary loss of consciousness and simulaneously, cause memory loss
  • Analgesia
  • Relaxation of muscles
  • Avoiding the sensation of pain during and just after surgery

How anesthesia was founded:

In the past, people used to make use of alcohol to numb pain. They found that alcohol helped relax the patient, allowing them to carry out the procedures smoothly. However, vomitting was a side-effect that people were not able to solve. They transitioned to utilising cocaine and other drugs, after which they progressed to employ the drugs that we use as anesthesia today.

**Interesting facts about anaesthesia
**

  • Smokers may require a greater dosage of anaesthesia compared to non-smokers. The smoke from cigarettes are known to result in respiratory issues, which disrupts the patient's tolerance for pain medication.

  • Overweight people may have a greater chance of complications due to the fact that breathing problems might interfere with the procedure.

Recent Questions

Should I get local or general anaesthesia for wisdom teeth?

The main difficulty with removing lower molar teeth (including wisdom teeth) is the difficulty in ensuring profound anaesthesia. The lower jawbone is dense and nerve blocks may be successful only about 50-60% of the time (if insufficient waiting time and only a single block is utilized). Patients with heavy musculature and a history of bruxism are more likely to encounter anaesthetic failure because of underlying chronic inflammation in the tissues surrounding their teeth. This is the main reason why patients and dentists have difficulties with extractions or procedures on lower molars.

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Answered By

Dr Jaclyn Toh

Dentist

When is IV sedation indicated for dental procedures?

Hi, IV sedation is always optional. Dental procedures may cause discomfort and cause a degree of anxiety. Hence dental procedurists always administer various forms of medication for relief of anxiety. This may range from oral tablets to having medication injected intravenously. On occasion, deeper sedation may be required; this is where an anesthesiologist will be booked for the procedure. This doctor stays throughout the duration of the procedure, monitoring your oxygenation, heart rate, and blood pressure while adjusting the level of sedation medication. I hope this helps!

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Answered By

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