Dental treatment under general anesthesia is a safe and effective method that helps improve patient comfort in specific situations. In this method, the patient is fully sedated during the treatment, allowing them to complete the procedures without experiencing pain, discomfort, or distress throughout the treatment. General anesthesia can be a suitable solution for individuals who need long treatments, are uncomfortable staying in the dentist's chair, or experience anxiety and fear during treatment.
This method allows both adults and children to complete various dental treatments easily and comfortably. It may also be preferred for individuals with special needs to ensure the treatment process is safe and stress-free. In particular, when complex or long treatments are needed, dental treatment under general anesthesia allows multiple procedures to be completed in a single session.
In summary, dental treatment under general anesthesia can be performed in the following cases:
• If the patient has a dentist phobia that cannot be overcome through conversation,
• If the patient has a mental disability that prevents them from allowing the dentist to work,
• If a child or adult patient needs many procedures done at once,
• If the patient is using blood-thinning medication,
• If a large surgery is required where local anesthesia is insufficient (jaw fractures, large cysts, etc.),
• If the patient has various health conditions that make general anesthesia more suitable,
• If the patient is allergic to local anesthetic agents,
• If there are cases where patients want to complete a long dental treatment in a single session, general anesthesia is preferred.
Benefits of General Anesthesia for Dental Treatment in Children
General anesthesia helps make dental treatment in children comfortable and safe. The main benefits of general anesthesia for children’s dental treatment are:
- Reduces Fear and Anxiety: For children who experience fear during dental treatment, general anesthesia eliminates stress and anxiety completely, making the treatment process more relaxed.
- Enables More Comprehensive Treatment: General anesthesia allows multiple procedures to be performed at once in children. This way, the entire treatment can be completed in one session, instead of multiple visits.
- Pain-Free Treatment: Since children do not feel anything during the procedure, they do not experience pain. This makes future dental visits more positive.
- Provides Movement Control: Young children may find it difficult to stay still during treatment. Thanks to general anesthesia, the child is completely asleep, allowing the dentist to perform the treatment smoothly.
- Important for Long-Term Dental Health: Dental treatments performed under general anesthesia help maintain children’s dental health early on, which helps prevent dental problems in later years.
How long does a dental treatment under general anesthesia last?
Dental treatments under general anesthesia vary depending on the treatment plan, but usually last between 1 and 3 hours.
What are the advantages of general anesthesia in dentistry?
General anesthesia eliminates the negative factors that affect the treatment process of children and adults with dental anxiety. The advantages of this application are as follows:
- The patient does not respond to pain and feels no pain at all.
- Cooperation with the patient is not necessary for the success of general anesthesia, as the patient will be unconscious.
- The state of unconsciousness is considered both an advantage and a disadvantage, but for individuals with physical and mental disorders, it is essential to induce unconsciousness in order to perform an ideal dental treatment. This state can be fully achieved with general anesthesia.
- Maximum anesthetic levels can be reached with a minimal dose.
- General anesthesia drugs are administered to the patient through intravenous or respiratory routes. These two options act quickly and cause the patient to lose consciousness within 1 minute.