Helping To Take The Fear Out Of Seeing The Dentist
A child should always have a positive experience at the dentist. But it’s not uncommon for some children to feel anxiety or fear at the thought of certain dental procedures. At Storybook Dental, it’s our job to put your child at ease during an exam or procedure. It’s our goal to provide the best dental care possible with little to no discomfort to the child. Sedation dentistry is an option for reducing your child’s stress during a dental procedure.
Is Sedation Safe for My Child?
Your concern for your child’s safety is understandable. You can rest assured sedation is normally a safe procedure. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry supports sedation as a safe and effective method for treating children at the dentist.
Not only can sedation help ease a child’s anxiety, but it can also make treatment safer. Such as during procedures that require your child to lie completely still. As always, our goal at Storybook Dental is to provide the best and safest treatment for your child.
A variety of sedation methods are available. We decide which type of sedation is best for your child based on a case-by-case basis.
General Anesthesia
General anesthesia is used when a child needs complete sedation. The child loses consciousness and sleeps through the entire procedure. Storybook Dental has a partnership with M2 Anesthesia, a group of trained anesthesiologists. M2 Anesthesia is a group of 22 medical doctors with specialty training in administering anesthesia. They keep our patients safe and comfortable and use high-grade hospital equipment.
Nitrous Oxide
Nitrous oxide is commonly known as laughing gas. It’s one of the safest and most effective sedation methods in use. Unlike general anesthesia, nitrous oxide doesn’t cause a loss of consciousness. The gas provides a mild anesthetic effect that relaxes the patient enough to ease their anxiety. Some patients say it feels like they’re floating in the clouds. The patient may also feel a slight tingling in their feet and hands.
Nitrous oxide is administered with pure oxygen. When the child’s procedure is complete, pediatric dentist, Dr. Hsu shuts off the nitrous oxide. At this time the child breathes pure oxygen for five minutes. This assures that the child’s system is completely free of the nitrous oxide.
Mild Oral Conscious Sedation
Mild oral conscious sedation is administered using midazolam, which is also known as Versed. The child remains awake but has little to no memory of the procedure. Versed is a liquid that helps the child relax enough to receive treatment without feeling anxiety or fear.
The child does need to fast prior to the visit. And we will provide specific instructions prior to your appointment. Versed can make a child act silly or intoxicated. The child may also appear sad, angry, sleepy, or slap-happy while sedated. If the child moves excessively or resists treatment during sedation, there’s a chance the dental work cannot be completed. However, this type of sedation is successful most of the time.
Your Child’s Safety Comes First
Storybook Dental is happy to answer any questions you have concerning sedation. It’s only natural for a parent to have concerns about their child’s safety. We understand how upsetting it is to see a child struggling with receiving necessary dental treatment. And we want to work with you to find the best solution for your child. Please call Storybook Dental to discuss your concerns.
