Offering Dental Sedation For Little Smiles

Posted May 6, 2022

For many children, the sights and sounds of the dentist office can be a bit overwhelming, and make them feel anxious. But to help them stay calm, even with severe anxiety or special needs, we can offer dental sedation. In today’s blog, your Dallas, TX, pediatric dentist talks about our approach to sedation dentistry.

When Children Need a Calming Solution

We could prescribe this for children who are undergoing more extensive treatment options, such as crown placement or even tooth extraction. But this also helps those with severe anxiety or special needs, which could complicate even minor procedures such as a dental cleaning. When we see your kids, we’re also instilling good oral health habits, and we want them to continue seeing the dentist when they’re grown up too. Which is why we always strive to help every child feel relaxed and comfortable, enjoying their time in the chair.

Our Expertise

We have years of experience and knowledge about calming children with dental sedation. In addition, our team includes trained anesthesiologists who are also board-certified specialists with the Pediatric Dental Anesthesia Associates. They will be present at any procedure that involves a calming agent, monitoring your child throughout the procedure. With some options, your little one will be able to return to school after. But some of our selections will take time to wear off, and they may feel groggy for a bit. We will also provide any detailed instructions and prescriptions necessary to facilitate a fast and successful healing period, and may schedule a follow-up visit as well.

Sedation Options

We have three main options for your children. The most common is nitrous oxide, which you may have heard referred to as laughing gas. We administer this in gas form through a mask over the nose. The child instantly enters a calm state, but will still be conscious and able to respond to the dentist. The effects wear off as soon as the procedure ends. For a deeper state of calm, we could also offer oral sedation, taken in pill or liquid form before the procedure begins. Your child is in a much deeper state of relaxation. With this option, the effects will take time to wear off completely. The deepest form of relaxation is through IV sedation. Again, the effects will take time to wear off. With the last two, we may offer special instructions to avoid foods and drinks in the hours before the procedure.

Ready to Schedule Your Child’s Next Visit?

We always take steps to ensure our little patients feel calm and relaxed when they visit. If you have any questions about keeping your children comfortable at the office, then contact your Dallas, TX pediatric dentist, Dr. Marr, by calling (214) 321-4880.