We are pleased to offer sedation to our patients who may require complex or lengthy treatments, to extremely fearful or anxious patients, and to patients who would simply like a more pleasant experience in our office. The goal of sedation for children is to help your child stay calm and receive the required care.
Children’s sedation is safe with the right preparation before your child’s appointment and monitoring during and after their appointment. Our office will provide detailed instructions to you and your child of how to prepare for your sedation appointment. Parents can help reduce risk and stress level for their child by following these instructions carefully.
After your child’s sedation appointment, they will feel groggy and drowsy. Make sure someone will be with your child after their appointment for several hours to monitor them. For more information on sedation for children and to find out if sedation may be right for your child, we invite you to contact us today.
Nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas, is a nitrogen-oxygen mixture that your child inhales through a nose mask during their treatment. As they breathe in the nitrous oxide, they will experience a relaxed or even euphoric sensation. Nitrous oxide can help your child feel calm and at ease throughout their treatment. Nitrous oxide sedation is very safe: the effects will wear off within just a few minutes after we remove the nose mask.
Nitrous oxide is a good option for any of our young patients who suffer from dental anxiety or dental phobia. If your child feels anxious because they are receiving a treatment they have not experienced before or if they simply dislike the sounds and sights of the dental office, we may recommend nitrous oxide to help them feel more relaxed. Be certain to discuss your concerns with our dentists and team before your visit so we can help you and your child feel more comfortable during their treatment.
Most dental procedures on children can be completed using local anesthesia. However, young children who are fearful and uncooperative, or children in need of extensive dental work, may require a deeper level of sedation in order to complete their treatment. This can be accomplished with an IV (intravenous) sedation. This type of sedative is administered intravenously, and monitored by a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist in our office.
In addition to being pain free, one of the benefits of an IV sedation is that it allows for better treatment quality. When a patient is sedated with an IV the dentist can work more quickly and effectively without worrying about your child moving around. Without sedation, some children may react reflexively to stimulus or discomfort, and this can be challenging for the dentist.
If IV sedation is recommended, the doctor and staff will provide you with detailed instructions for the procedure, including the benefits and risks, and instructions for the day of the procedure. For more information about IV sedation call our office at 801-217-3359.
General Anesthesia at Primary Children's Hospital may be recommended for children who have an underlying medical condition, patients with special needs, or patients who require certain procedures which would best be accomplished in a hospital setting by one of our dentists.
With general anesthesia, your child will be given medicine in the form of a gas to put him or her to sleep. This is generally performed by a pediatric anesthesiologist. If general sedation is recommended, the doctor and staff will provide you with detailed instructions for the procedure, including the benefits and risks, and instructions for the day of the procedure. For more information about general sedation call our office at 801-217-3359.