How Do We Choose Your Child’s Sedation?
When children are undergoing extensive treatments or if they have dental anxiety, we want to ensure they are relaxed and comfortable, which is why we offer sedation in addition to local anesthesia. But how do we choose the right option for your little one? In today’s blog, your Dallas, TX, pediatric dentist talks about choosing your child’s sedation.
When Kids Benefit from Dental Sedation
When do we recommend dental sedation for kids? Typically, this is helpful if they are undergoing more extensive treatments, such as tooth extraction or a pulpotomy, to ensure your little ones are comfortable and enjoy a relaxing visit to the office. If you have special needs that make undergoing care difficult, this can be helpful too. We also provide this for children with dental anxiety, so their phobias don’t stand between them and the health and brighter smile they deserve!
Our Expertise
Our team has years of experience in administering three different options for sedation. We have trained anesthesiologists on our team, who are board-certified specialists and also members of the Pediatric Dental Anesthesia Associates. If we are going to administer a calming option, then they will be on hand to monitor your child the entire time!
Three Calming Options
We have three different options for your children, and we will choose one based on factors like age, weight, medical history, medications, and anxiety levels. The most common and mild option is nitrous oxide. Also referred to as laughing gas, this allows kids to instantly enter a calm state when they breathe in a gas through a mask over their nose. They feel calm and stay conscious, able to respond to the dentist. The effects wear off right away, and kids could even return to school.
Oral conscious is administered through a pill or liquid prior to the procedure, and offers a deeper state of calm with little to no memory of the procedure. Kids will feel a bit groggy and likely won’t be able to return to school. The deepest form is IV, and is administered intravenously. Kids enter a very deep and sleep-like state. They will be a bit groggy when the medication wears off, and likely need to stay home for the rest of the day.
If you have any questions about the calming options we provide for our little patients, or if your child needs to see us for an exam, then contact our team today to learn more.
Talk to Our Team About Sedation Dentistry
If you have questions about keeping your kids comfortable, or if you would like to schedule an appointment with our team, call your Dallas, TX pediatric dentist, Dr. Marr, at (214) 321-4880. We want to help your children enjoy their best smiles!
filed under: Children's Dental Services