DrBicuspid.com Anesthesia & Pain Management Insider

Dear Anesthesia & Pain Management Insider,

Welcome to our first Anesthesia & Pain Management Insider, sponsored by Dentsply.

In this Insider Exclusive article, while it is known that the use of intravenous sedation in dental patients is on the rise because of accompanying medical conditions and patient safety and comfort considerations, which agents are most used? A new Japanese study conducted at Tokyo Dental College has found one answer to this question.

Also in the Anesthesia & Pain Management Community, root canal therapy can reduce multiple dimensions of pain, including intensity, duration, and its interference with daily activity, according to a new practice-based research network study published in the Journal of Endodontics. Read more here.

With sedation of pediatric patients remaining an issue for the larger dental community, DrBicuspid.com invited Dr. Edward H. Moody Jr., the president of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, to offer some insight on when to sedate and when to refer, as well as other relevant, practical information. Dr. Moody emphasizes the need for communication among all practitioners, patients, and parents and knowing your limits as a practitioner.

In this Second Opinion, Dr. Laurence Fendrich writes that IV moderate sedation dentistry is extremely safe for the patient if administered correctly by a dentist who has been properly trained and certified to perform it.

In his latest series for DrBicuspid.com, Dr. Michael W. Davis focuses on injuries and death that result from dental sedation incidents and how the profession can work together to limit the risks. In this first part, he looks at the reporting, monitoring, and reimbursement status of sedation. In the conclusion of the series, Dr. Davis offers some solutions to the most pressing issues and advocates for necessary change.

A team of Japanese researchers who looked at more than 200 patients with orofacial pain has found that early consultation with a dentist is useful in arriving at a differential diagnosis and preventing this pain from becoming a chronic problem. Read more here.