How Do We Keep Kids Comfortable?

Posted July 6, 2022

We want all children to feel relaxed and enjoy their time in our office. Even better, we want them to look forward to their next visit! To help kids feel relaxed when they see us, even if they have dental anxiety or special needs, your Dallas, TX, pediatric dentist could offer not only local anesthesia, but dental sedation.

Talking to Your Children

We know how to talk to kids in a way that helps them feel comfortable and listened to. We’re always happy to answer their questions or address their concerns, so they know what to expect from their visit. After all, regular visits could help reduce dental anxiety and make kids more likely to continue seeing the dentist in adulthood. We want to help them enjoy their time at the practice, and to understand what it takes to protect smiles from issues like tooth decay and gingivitis.

Local Anesthesia

For many procedures, we can administer a local anesthesia. This numbs a specific area of the smile. We could use this before we place a filling for example, ensure your little one is comfortable. In addition, we can also offer dental sedation. Our team includes anesthesiologists who are board-certified specialists and members of the Pediatric Dental Anesthesia Associates. They will be on hand to monitor your children, and help choose the best calming option for them. We take a number of factors into consideration, such as age, weight, medical history, and anxiety levels. We have three different options for our young patients.

Dental Sedation

The most common option is nitrous oxide, also referred to as laughing gas. This one is administered with a mask over the nose, which enables your child to breathe in a gas and enter a calm and relaxed state. The effects will wear off instantly once the procedure is over, so kids can often return to school and avoid any groggy feelings. For those who need a deeper state of relaxation, we could offer oral sedation, which is administered via a pill or liquid before the procedure. They will enter a more in-depth state of calm. The effects will take time to wear off completely, so your little one may be groggy for a bit. We may suggest avoiding food in the hours before the procedure. The deepest state of relaxation possible is with IV sedation. Again, we will have a trained anesthesiologist on hand to monitor your child and he or she may feel groggy afterward as well.

Ready to Schedule Your Child’s Visit?

Our team wants to make sure each and every child will enjoy his or her time in our office. If you have any questions about helping kids enjoy good oral health and brighter smiles, then contact your Dallas, TX pediatric dentist, Dr. Marr, by calling (214) 321-4880.