In-Office Sedation
Before your child visits the dentist in Chandler, AZ, you should consider in-office sedation. Whether you are bringing an infant or a child with high anxiety, you can utilize sedation techniques.
In-office sedation can reduce anxiety and improve outcomes for dental care among pediatric patients. Please review this information on various types of dental sedation, including anesthesia. We can offer pediatric sedation in the dentist’s chair at Raya Sunshine Pediatric Dentistry.
What Are Common Types of In-Office Sedation Dentistry?
In general, the types of in-office sedation dentistry that we offer to pediatric patients include:
- Nitrous oxide/laughing gas
- Local anesthesia administered by needle injection
- Deep sedation using an IV needle
The level of sedation ranges from minimal to moderate to deep sedation. Nitrous oxide is a minimal level of sedation. This sedation is for tooth fillings and treatments that may cause pain.
Local anesthesia can be combined with nitrous oxide to minimize pain. This sedation is ideal for pediatric patients who need to get a cavity filled. Local anesthetic treatments reduce the pain of the drilling and packing for the procedure.
Deep sedation for dentistry does not result in an unconscious patient as with general anesthesia. With deep sedation, a patient may be semi-unconscious while still sitting back in the dentist’s chair.
Is General Anesthesia Used in a Dentist’s Office?
General anesthesia is the medical procedure involved in putting patients to sleep prematurely and on a schedule. The dental patient cannot hear or see anything happening. While under general anesthesia, the patient is fully asleep and unconscious. We do not use general anesthesia for preventative dental work. Instead, we use light in-office sedation techniques.
Light in-office sedation is a lower level of anesthesia. In this scenario, the patient is not fully awake and can respond to stimulation. The purpose of in-office sedation includes reduced feeling, attentiveness, and pain during a dental procedure.
What is Nitrous Oxide or Laughing Gas for Dental Work?
The most common type of in-office sedation we use at the dentist’s office is nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas. Nitrous oxide is administered using a gas mask for patients. The patient remains sitting up and talking in a dentist’s chair after they are given nitrous oxide treatment.
The patient remains alert and able to talk, as well as sit up and feel most of their body. However, the laughing gas works by easing their tensions and reducing anxieties associated with dental work.
Other Reasons for In-Office Sedation for Dental Work
Other reasons why general anesthesia is necessary for a dentist are:
- Reduce gag reflex in young patients
- Help pediatric patients reduce pain caused by a procedure
- Resolve anxieties in children with traumatic experiences at the dentist
- Reduce jaw fatigue for children who are undergoing long sessions of dental care
Overall, if our dentist can reduce pain and anxiety for our pediatric patients using in-office sedation, we will work with the parent or guardian to proceed with caution. Any sedatives given to a young patient at the dentist might be counteractive to existing medications. Therefore, not all pediatric patients will be a candidate for in-office sedation.
What If My Child Needs General Anesthesia for Dental Work?
If we require the use of general anesthesia for oral surgery on a pediatric patient, we will most likely need to transfer the patient. We can utilize the skills of an oral surgeon with assistance from a certified anesthesiologist onsite. The other option is for the patient to be taken to the local hospital for treatment involving general anesthesia.
General anesthesia involves going to sleep for more than an hour and requiring constant supervision. As a result, most dental work requiring general anesthesia involves additional dental professionals.
Why is My Child Getting Sedated for Dental Work?
Some procedures and dental work should involve sedation for pediatric patients. The top reasons for being sedated for dental work include:
- Cavity fillings
- Tooth extractions
- Tooth implants
In addition, longer dental treatments that cannot be reduced in time may allow for in-office sedation. Dentists understand that younger patients have a limited amount of patience. They may not fully understand what is going on around them. Therefore, in-office sedation can be used in the instance that a pediatric patient cannot sit for a long period.
Another example of when sedation techniques can be useful is when a child comes in with a dental emergency. If they are upset from an accident, such as getting hit in the mouth by a softball, the use of in-office sedation can reduce stress and further pain during treatment.
Will My Child Be Asleep During In-Office Sedation Dentistry?
As a dentist’s office with sedation services, we do not put our pediatric patients to sleep fully, like with general anesthesia. Instead, we provide sedation techniques like nitrous oxide and local anesthesia that do not put the child to sleep.
Our dentist is certified and approved to offer in-office sedation dentistry for your child. We also have experience working with children who require sedation applications. See how well we can minimize your child’s anxiety with the use of sedation in the dentist’s office.
Contact Our Chandler, AZ Dentist for In-Office Sedation Services
Let our dentist’s office in Chandler, AZ provide your child with in-office sedation. We utilize this form of sedation to help young patients during:
- Six-month check-ups
- Dental restorations using fillings
- Emergency dental care
Call our dental office at Raya Sunshine Pediatric Dentistry at 480-701-8046 to request an appointment. We are currently accepting new pediatric dental patients at our pediatric dentist’s office near you.
Find out how we can help your child improve their oral health and wellness using pediatric dentistry. We work with patients who are tongue-tied, as well as specialize in in-office sedation techniques.
