The Pediatric Dental Center provides sedation dentistry when needed for our young patients.
Here are answers to the most common questions about pediatric sedation dentistry.
Is sedation safe for children?
Nitrous oxide, IV sedation, and general anesthesia are safe for children when administered by experienced professionals. Certified pediatric dentists, oral and maxillofacial surgeons, and anesthesiologists are trained to administer anesthesia to children.
At Pediatric Dental Center, we follow the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) sedation guidelines.
Why is sedation used in children’s dentistry?
If a child is especially fearful, we may not be able to administer treatment. Some multi-procedure visits take several hours. And despite a dentist’s best efforts with localized painkiller, many procedures can be painful, especially to a child. A tooth extraction or filling a large cavity, for example.
What can parents do to make sure all goes well?
1. Follow pre-op and post-op instructions to the letter. This includes restricting food and drink prior to the treatment. Be thorough when reporting your child’s medical history. Make sure you tell us which medications your child is taking.
If your child undergoes IV sedation, make sure you have two adults on the trip home. One adult can drive while the other monitors the child. Watch your child closely for several hours. Make sure they have only liquids or soft foods. If your youngster starts vomiting, gets a fever, complains of severe pain, has unusual bleeding, contact us immediately.
What types of sedation are used?
The type of sedation will depend on the specific treatment(s), length of visit, and your son or daughter’s age, personality, and medical history.
We use three types:
Nitrous Oxide
“Laughing gas” is safe and effective. Nitrous oxide is used in most pediatric dental offices. It is the optimal mild sedative. It starts working swiftly. It calms the child during the procedure and wears off quickly after the mask is taken off. Plus, it doesn’t require a scary needle.
IV Sedation
IV sedation produces actual “sleep dentistry.” Most kids are completely oblivious to the treatment performed. IV sedation is useful for root canals, extractions, and other types of oral surgery.
General Anesthesia
In some cases it is necessary to put a child completely under. Treatment is performed in a hospital operating room while your child is completely asleep.
Get Your Child The Dental Treatment They Need
At the Pediatric Center for Dentistry, we want our young patients to get the treatment they need. Nitrous oxide is among the sedation dentistry options we make available. We have offices in Burlington, Cold Spring and Crestview Hills KY. Call for an appointment today.
Contact Pediatric Dental Center:
859-534-5640
Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):
5495 N Bend Rd Ste 102
Burlington, Kentucky
41005
