SEDATION DENTISTRY CALGARY

It’s not surprising that children are afraid of the dentist – it can be a scary experience!

Dental fear is widespread, and it can keep kids from getting the dental care they need. But it’s essential to get your children’s teeth checked and cleaned regularly.

If you don’t, this can lead to many problems down the road, such as tooth decay, gum disease, and even loss of teeth.

Sedation dentistry is the perfect solution for children who are scared of the dentist. And our sedation dentistry services will help your kids relax and feel comfortable during their appointment. We offer oral, gaseous, and IV sedation, so you can choose the best option for your children.

This is a safe and effective way to calm even the youngest patients’ fears and help them get the dental care they need. Our pediatric dentists are experienced in providing sedation dentistry to children.

What Is Sedation Dentistry?

Sedation dentistry uses medication to help a patient relax and feel comfortable during a dental procedure. The term covers various methods, including oral sedation, inhaled sedation, IV sedation, and general anesthesia.

However, all these methods share one common goal – to help the patient feel at ease during their dental appointment.

Sedation comes with a variety of intensity levels so that you can choose the best option for your child.

The levels of sedation are:

● Minimal sedation: the child is relaxed but still fully awake

● Moderate or “conscious” sedation: the child may feel loopy and not remember much about the procedure

● Deep sedation: the child can be awakened but is barely conscious

● General anesthesia: the child is entirely unconscious and needs help to breathe

What Types of Sedation Do We Use?

At our practice, we offer four types of sedation: oral, gaseous, IV, and deep.

Oral sedation involves giving the child a pill or liquid to take before their appointment. This will help them relax and feel calm. It is usually used for minimal sedation but can be used for moderate sedation at some doses.

Your child will take the medicine about an hour before the dental procedure. The child will become drowsy but will likely stay awake. If they do nod off, we can easily awaken them with a gentle nudge.

Gaseous sedation uses a gas mask to deliver medication that will help the child relax. This gas is often nitrous oxide (or ‘laughing gas’) mixed with oxygen. We can easily control how much sedation your child receives, and kids recover quickly from this medicine.

IV sedation is a common type of moderate pediatric sedation. It involves giving the child a sedative through an intravenous line in a vein. This method allows us to control the dose of medication very accurately and adjust it as necessary. This method has a fast onset and an intermediate duration.

IV medication is also used in deep sedation and general anesthesia. These are higher levels of sedation that we use for more complex procedures. The child will need to have time to let the effects of this anesthesia wear off, or we can reverse it with additional medication.

Who Should Have Sedation Dentistry?

Almost any child can have sedation dentistry. It is particularly beneficial for kids who have problems sitting still, have a considerable gag reflex, have a low pain threshold or sensitive teeth, and those who have a lot of dental work that needs to be done.

Our dentists are experts in pediatric sedation and can help determine if your child is a good candidate for it. They can provide anything from nitrous oxide to oral sedation in the office. They will provide IV or general anesthesia in a safe and controlled environment if the situation warrants it.

Can Any Dentist Do Sedation?

Most dentists can do minimal sedation, but it takes significant training and experience to be allowed to perform deep sedation and general anesthesia. Our team has the appropriate credentials and privileges to provide safe and comfortable sedation for your child – no matter what they need.

If you are considering sedation dentistry for your child, please call our office to schedule a consultation. We would be happy to answer any of your questions and help you decide if sedation is the right option for your family.

How Safe Is Sedation Dentistry?

Sedation dentistry is very safe when an experienced dentist does it in a reliable setting. That said, there are always risks with anesthesia, so your dentist will sit down and help you understand the risks, benefits, and alternatives that we have when working with your child.

We will review your child’s medical and surgical history to ensure they are a suitable candidate for sedation. We will also need to know if they take any medicines.

The medications we use are all FDA-approved and have a long history of safety. Our dentists take great care to make sure the dose of medicine is appropriate for your child’s size, age, and condition.

We will carefully monitor your child’s vital signs during any procedure. We also will have medicine and oxygen on hand to quickly reverse the sedation in the rare case where that would be needed.

However, as with any medical procedure, there are always risks associated with anesthesia. We take every precaution to minimize these risks and work with you to ensure your child is safe and comfortable.

If you have questions about sedation dentistry, please don’t hesitate to call our office.

Calgary Sedation Dentistry

Do you hate taking your kids to the dentist because they are so scared?

We understand that some children can be apprehensive about going to the dentist. That’s why we offer sedation dentistry to help make their experience a positive one.

Our dental team can make it so that your anxious child will not feel a thing. This means we can provide them with the dental care they need in a safe and comfortable environment.

We want to make the experience as painless and stress-free as possible for both you and your child.

Our caring and experienced staff will ensure your child is comfortable and safe during their visit. Our office is designed specifically for children, so they will feel at ease and relaxed during their appointment. We want them to have a good experience, so they’ll look forward to coming back in the future.

And you can relax in our comfortable waiting room, knowing that your child is in caring, professional, and experienced hands.