Pain and anxiety control

Question 1

definition of conscious sedation

Answer 1

A technique in which the use of a drug or drugs produces a state of depression of the central nervous system enabling treatment to be carried out, but during which verbal contact with the patient is maintained throughout the period of sedation. The drugs and techniques used to provide conscious sedation for dental treatment should carry a margin of safety wide enough to render unintended loss of consciousness unlikely.

Question 2

medical indications for IV sedation

Answer 2

conditions affecting cooperation - mild to moderate movement disorders, learning difficulties
Conditions aggravated by stress of dental treatment e.g ischaemic heart disease, hypertension, epilepsy, asthma

Question 3

psychosocial indications for conscious sedation

Answer 3

Phobias - drils, dentist, needles (inhalation)
gagging
persistent fainting

Question 4

dental indications for conscious sedation

Answer 4

difficult or unpleasant procedures e.g surgical extraction of wisdom teeth, implants

Question 5

name 3 medical contraindications for conscious sedation

Answer 5

severe or uncontrolled systemic disease
severe mental or physical disability - cant communicate or fully understand procedure
narcolepsy
pregnancy
hypothyroidism - slowed drug metabolism

Question 6

social contraindications for conscious sedation

Answer 6

unaccompanied - especially with IV
children - no IV under 12 due to potential adverse reaction
very old - potential for adverse reaction
uncooperative

Question 7

what is transference as a cause of dental anxiety

Answer 7

learned anxiety
e.g from parents or playground

Question 8

name 4 potential causes of dental anxiety

Answer 8

trauma - previous traumatic experience
transference
fear of citicism
lack of communication
feeling of helplessness

Question 9

in a dental setting, what ASA class patients can recieve IV sedation

Answer 9

ASA class 1 and 2

Question 10

ASA class 1-3

Answer 10

1 - normal, healthy patient
2 - a patient with mild systemic disease e.g well controlled diabetes or hypertension
3 - a patient with severe or poorly controlled systemic disease