It’s Time to Put Your Children (and You!) at Ease!
How many times have you had to lure your children with treats and promises after hearing “I don’t want to go to the dentist!” More than you can count– I’m sure. My goal as a pediatric dentist is to help kids establish a good dental home in which they feel safe, relaxed, and comfortable. One of the tools that have made us successful is through the use of sedation methods such as Nitrous Oxide and IV sedation.
At our office, we value our patient’s safety and comfort immensely, and because of this, we offer our patients special products to be used during their procedures. Nitrous Oxide (laughing gas) is a safe and efficient sedative that makes it so your child does not recognize pain or discomfort during their procedure. Usually, the effects of nitrous oxide subside as soon as the mask is removed, so if that is the only anesthesia your child receives, then they will be able to move about the day, free of any lingering numbness.
Would Sedation Benefit Your Child?
There are several cases where children would greatly benefit from dental sedation. For example, children with high anxiety are great candidates, as they may prevent work from being done if conscious during the procedure. Children that are young and have difficulty cooperating would also benefit from receiving sedation. I also recommend sedation for children receiving a large amount of oral work who more than likely would not be comfortable with the lengthy duration of the procedures. Lastly, a candidate for sedation would be a special needs child that may have difficulty cooperating if conscious. Since our first priority is to make kids feel safe here at the Children’s Health Center, our goal is to create an easy, pleasant, and stress-free dentist visit for both you and your children.
Now you may be wondering which sedation method is best for your child? Through consultations, proper preparation, and our amazing staff– finding what is right for your child is easy! We have a Board Certified Anesthesiologist on our team– with an expertise in pediatric anesthesia– who will find the safest method of care to the highest standard.
What Happens During the Visit?
Most healthy children above the age of two are recommended to receive some sort of sedation in addition to their treatment. Once the procedure has been planned, your child’s pediatrician must give their approval along with your child’s medical history, so that the dentist and anesthesiologist may review it in advance. We want to be able to address all of your concerns, as well as your child’s, so to do so, our anesthesiologist will call you prior to the procedure to discuss the plan of action.
We will provide your child with an oral premedication syrup upon arrival, to get a headstart on making your child feel sleepy, relaxed, and cooperative. Since the child typically does not remember walking into the procedure room, placing the IV shouldn’t be a problem, and your child will fall asleep soon after. Our anesthesiologist will continuously monitor your child’s vital signs and breathing, while the sedation procedure is occurring.
Although easy, relaxing, and painless, the entirety of the procedure may keep your child drowsy for part or the rest of the day, so we recommend you spend a calm and quiet day at home.
Let us help create the most efficient and stress-free trip to the dentist for you and your child!
Your Pediatric Dentist,
Dr. Agnes Barbagallo
Schedule your child’s checkup today! Call us at 201-871-3556 or click here to connect with us online.
