Got ‘Til It’s Gone

Dental Anesthesia

Don’t it always seem to go/That you don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone. – Joni Mitchell (“Big Yellow Taxi”) There is an active application to recognize Dental Anesthesia as a dental specialty nationwide. Dental Anesthesia is recognized as a specialty in Ontario as well as in the United States and Japan. This assistive … Read more

Subcutaneous Emphysema: Dental Causes and Management

Dental Anesthesia

Introduction Subcutaneous emphysema is a well-known complication that can occur during dental procedures. It arises when air is forcefully pushed into the submucosal spaces, leading to tissue distension. This trapping of air can progressively spread through the facial spaces, which are anatomical regions of loose connective tissue between muscles and bones. The consequences of subcutaneous … Read more

Automated External Defibrillators and the Dental Office

Dental Anesthesia

The primary function of an automated external defibrillator (AED) is to convert certain fatal non-perfusing heart rhythms back into perfusing heart rhythms (producing a pulse that can provide oxygen to vital organs). They are now a required component of the Basic Life Support (BLS) training courses for healthcare providers such as dentists and dental personnel. … Read more

Dental Anesthetic for a Patient with Cornelia De Lange Syndrome During Dental Treatment: A Case Report

Dental Anesthesia

Abstract Cornelia de Lange Syndrome (CdLS) is a rare genetic neurodevelopment disorder that can present challenging behavioral and airway management during general anesthesia. This case report involves a 25-year-old female patient with CdLS who received a moderate sedation for dental treatment at the Adult Surgicentre, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Toronto. CdLS is associated with … Read more

Lingualized Occlusion: An Occlusal Scheme for Complete Dentures in Atrophied Ridges – A Case Report

Introduction Rehabilitation of completely edentulous maxillary and mandibular arches should satisfy form, function and esthetics. Such rehabilitations can be carried out either with or without implants. Although contemporary rehabilitation of completely edentulous situations is inclining towards dental implants, the demand for conventional removable prosthodontics is still high owing to surgical, economic and patient’s medical limitations. … Read more

Prepare to Win

“It’s been too hard living/But I’m afraid to die/’Cause I don’t know what’s up there/Beyond the sky” – A Change Is Gonna Come by Sam Cooke. According to Bill Bryson’s book, The Body, there are about 8,000 things that can kill us. Of course, only one cause has to succeed, and at least one will … Read more

Case Report: Use of Intramuscular Glycopyrrolate Bromide for Hypersalivation

Summary This case report provides a review of the use of the intramuscular (IM) injection of glycopyrrolate bromide as an antisialagogue. In this case, copious saliva interfered with the ability to obtain an accurate impression of the tooth preparation. Glycopyrrolate was delivered intramuscularly to the deltoid muscle. Drying was adequate, and a successful impression was … Read more

A Brief History of Propofol and the Introduction of Remimazolam as a Potential Heir Apparent

Propofol (2,6-diisopropylphenol) is an intravenous (IV) sedative-hypnotic agent commonly used for the IV induction and maintenance of general anesthesia.1 It has a rapid-onset, provides a rapid recovery even after multiple bolus doses or continuous infusion, and has anti-emetic properties which decreases the incidence of post-operative nausea and vomiting.1 These benefits helped propofol become the most … Read more

Diphenhydramine as a Local Anesthetic: Case Report

Keywords: local anesthetic, allergy, diphenhydramine, emergency treatment Abstract Allergy to local anesthetics is a rare condition which poses a unique challenge for dental treatment. In this article, we present a case of suspected allergy to conventional local anesthetics which was managed successfully using 1% diphenhydramine solution with 1:100,000 parts epinephrine as an alternative means of … Read more

Tobacco Cessation and Dentistry

Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic has made people more conscious about their overall health. It is a good moment to discuss tobacco smoking cessation with our patients. Tobacco smoking has overall devastating effects on health. It continues to be the number one cause of preventable disease and death in Canada. An estimated 45,000 Canadians die each … Read more

Lipid Emulsion Treatment for Local Anesthetic Systemic Toxicity

Local anesthetics are used by dentists extensively and when used erroneously, such as intravenously or above the maximum dose, life-threatening local anesthetic systemic toxicity (LAST) can result. The signs and symptoms of LAST can appear immediately after injection if injected directly into a blood vessel or delayed if the anesthetic is absorbed from the tissue … Read more

The Problems with the COVID-19 Test: A Necessary Understanding

Viewpoint: Introduction On August 26th, 2020 Professor Mark Woodhouse, a senior scientific advisor to the UK Government stated the following, “We couldn’t think of anything better to do. Lockdown was a panic measure and I believe history will see that trying to control Covid-19 through lockdown was a monumental mistake on a global scale, the … Read more

Arizona Dentist Falsely Obtained General Anesthesia Permit

Governor Doug Ducey is demanding immediate answers and action from Arizona’s Dental Board after an ABC15 investigation revealed a Valley dentist obtained a general anesthesia permit using documents multiple people and organizations said are fake and fraudulent. In a letter sent Monday, Ducey directed the board’s executive director, Elaine Hugunin, to respond to his questions … Read more

Sedation Safety Week Encourages Awareness for Dentists

The theme of the 10th Annual Sedation Safety Week, which runs today through Friday, is “Awareness.” Sedation Safety Week (SSW) programs and activities are free and open to all oral health professionals. Details are available at www.SedationSafetyWeek.com. As it has each spring since March 2009, SSW – hosted by DOCS Education – aims to remind oral health professionals … Read more

Alberta Dentists Suspended from Providing Anesthesia

The Alberta Dental Association and College (ADA&C) has permanently suspended single operator sedation. The motion was passed at a meeting on May 24, which states that registered dentists in Alberta can no longer “simultaneously provide deep sedation or general anesthesia and dental treatment.” The motion also requires the ADA&C council to adopt the American Society of … Read more