The Role of Anti-Anxiety Drugs in Modern Dental Practice
Pain and anxiety are currently major concerns in the field of dentistry. Practice shows that the use of anti-anxiety drugs before dental interventions significantly improves the patient’s experience and increases treatment success.
What Is Sedation and How Does it Work?
Sedation is the process of reducing central nervous system activity which allows treatment and manipulation to be carried out while maintaining patient contact and understanding. In other words, sedation is a controlled drug suppression of consciousness while maintaining reflexes, spontaneous breathing, and the ability to react to physical and verbal stimuli.
Indications & Contraindications
Often, patients have a neglected condition of the oral cavity, which is due to their fear of visiting a dentist. Successful treatment of such patients is possible with the use of sedation. An equally important indication may be the patient’s desire to undergo treatment comfortably. That is, to feel comfortable in the dental chair and not experience any discomfort associated with professional care. Another indication for sedation during dental treatment is an increased gag reflex. Many patients have difficulty and discomfort with any manipulation in the oral cavity, and medical sedation with Ativan is an effective way to solve the problem.
And yet, specific indications for sedation are:
- severe anxiety or depression;
- irritability;
- sleep disturbances;
- insomnia.
It should be noted that sedation, like other techniques used in dental practice, has some contraindications. They are quite limited, but still exist and include:
- pregnancy;
- alcohol intoxication;
- allergies to the drug;
- heart failure;
- diabetes;
- severe chronic diseases.
But the most serious contraindication is myasthenia gravis, an autoimmune disease in which the neuromuscular transmission of nerve impulses is disrupted, causing muscle weakness and myasthenic crises. High blood pressure, strokes, and heart attacks are the main causes of complications during treatment.
Types of Sedation
There are two main types of sedation:
- Non-drug sedation. This refers to non-drug practices that bring peace and tranquility to the patient. For example, music, silence, good lighting, pleasant conversations, etc.
- Drug sedation. Involves using medications to help the patient remain calm throughout the procedure.
Drug sedation can be performed via oral ingestion (taking medication by mouth), injection (administering through an injection), or inhalation (inhaling through a mask). The benefits are obvious. The patient remains calm and relaxed during dental care and also experiences a decrease in pain sensitivity. Treatment process becomes easier for both the patient and the doctor, with no stress or worry.
Benzodiazepines – Number One Choice for Oral Sedation
About 25 different benzodiazepine derivatives are used in clinical practice today. Diazepam (Valium, Relanium), lorazepam (Ativan), clonazepam (Rivotril, Klonopin), etc. The mechanism of action is due to interaction with specific benzodiazepine receptors of the central nervous system. They have hypnotic, sedative, anxiolytic (anxiety-reducing), muscle relaxant, and anticonvulsant effects and are therefore the most popular means of oral sedation in both dental and medical practice in general.
The main advantages of using benzodiazepines for oral sedation include their high efficacy, rapid onset of action, ease of administration, and relative safety. These drugs cope well with anxiety and fear, reduce pain and discomfort. Also, create a comfortable environment for medical procedures.
However, it is important to know that benzodiazepines can cause respiratory depression. In some cases, they cause a decrease in blood pressure. This reaction is especially common in older people. With prolonged use, addiction and a decrease in sedative effect may occur.
Final Notes
Therefore, anti-anxiety medications such as Ativan (Lorazepam) play an important role in dental practice. They help patients overcome fear and nervousness before various procedures. Effective sedation makes dental care more accessible and efficient, especially for those who experience severe anxiety or phobia about visiting the dentist. This contributes to overall patient satisfaction and health.
