As much as parents try to make their children comfortable with the dentist, some children are still very anxious when they need dental procedures. The thought of laying back in a dental chair while the dentist drills, pulls or does other work inside their mouth can be quite frightening to a child. Fortunately, Children’s Dentistry in Phoenixville has sedation options for children who are too scared to sit calmly while a dentist works inside their mouths.
Dentists make every attempt to make their patients comfortable. For simple procedures such as fillings, pediatric dentists may offer different flavors of numbing gel to their young patients. By giving kids more control over their procedure, they may be more comfortable and able to sit still while they get their teeth filled.
Children sometimes need more extensive dental work. When a child needs a long procedure such as having multiple teeth extracted or root canal therapy, sedation is often preferred by everyone involved. There are a few options in sedation. Children’s Dentistry in Phoenixville may use nitrous oxide, oral sedatives or intravenous sedation. If sedation is used, the procedure will be performed under the supervision of an anesthesiologist.
Nitrous oxide is commonly known as laughing gas. If your dentist uses laughing gas, your child will be awake throughout the procedure but should not be anxious at all. Children often describe the feeling as being happy.
Oral sedatives are often used by older children who are able to take the oral medication prior to their procedure. The medicine is given when the patient arrives at the office and takes about half an hour to work. This kind of sedation doesn’t put children to sleep but it helps them feel very relaxed while they have their procedure.
Young patients who don’t respond well to other alternatives may be given IV sedation. IV sedation is done at a surgical center. The medication puts the patient to sleep and they are monitored throughout the procedure. Your dentist or oral surgeon from Pediatric Dentistry of Phoenixville will give you directions to follow before the procedure. Your child may not be able to eat or drink for a number of hours before the procedure.
