Ex.24. Make up a dialogue on types of dental anesthesia.

Ex.25. Read and retell the following text:

To make your dental visit as comfortable as possible, your dentist may suggest anesthesia to reduce or eliminate any pain or anxiety that may be related to your dental treatment. The type of anesthesia required for any dental procedure depends on the needs or preferences of the patient.

Local anesthesia is produced by the application or injection of a drug to eliminate pain in a specific area in the mouth. Topical anesthetics are frequently used by your dentist to numb an area in preparation for administering an injectable local anesthetic. Injectable local anesthetics, such as Lidocaine, numb mouth tissues in a specific area of your mouth for a short period of time. Your dentist will probably inject a local anesthetic before filling cavities, preparing your teeth for crowns, or for any surgical procedure. Local anesthesia is the most commonly used form of anesthesia in the dental office.

Conscious sedation can be used to help you relax during a dental procedure. Your dentist may administer an anti-anxiety agent, such as nitrous oxide, or a sedative, in combination with a local anesthetic for pain. During conscious sedation, you will remain calm during treatment, yet rational and responsive to speech and touch. Anti-anxiety agents and sedatives can be administered by mouth, inhalation or injection.

Deep sedation and general anesthesia is used for complex procedures and for patients who have trouble controlling their movements or need a deeper level of anesthesia during treatment. During deep sedation you will be unable to respond appropriately to verbal commands. During general anesthesia you will be unconscious.

Although taking any medication involves a certain amount of risk, the drugs that produce anesthesia are entirely safe when administered by a trained anesthesia provider. The best thing to do is ask questions about any procedure that you are not familiar with. Ask about alternatives, training, the doctor's commitment to continuing education and the credentials of other personnel in the dental office who might be assisting with your treatment. Good communication between the dentist and the patient is the best way of insuring safety.

 

Ex.26. Read the following abstract and tell what it deals with:

Local anesthetics are the most common drugs used in the dental office. Side effects are very rare.One possible side effect is a hematoma. This is a blood-filled swelling. It can form when the injection needle hits a blood vessel.The numbing medicine sometimes causes numbness outside of the targeted area. If this happens, your eyelid or mouth can droop. You will recover when the drug wears off. If you are unable to blink, you may need to have your eye taped shut until the numbness wears off. The anesthetic usually lasts for only a couple of hours. In some people, the vasoconstrictor drug can cause the heart to beat faster. This lasts only a minute or two. Tell your doctor if this has ever happened to you. Finally, the needle can injure a nerve. This can lead to numbness and pain for several weeks or months. The nerve usually heals over time.