Sedation Dentistry

Imagine your child undergoing a complex dental treatment like a root canal, crown, extraction, or oral surgery. When treatment is complete, your child will have no recollection of the time it took, the pain, the noise, or the discomfort. We are pleased to offer your child the option of comfortable, safe, and effective sedation dentistry. Our pediatric dental patients who benefit from sedation dentistry have:

• A fear or anxiety of being at the dentist
• A hard time sitting still for long periods of time
• A hard time getting (and staying) numb from anesthetics

What is sedation dentistry?

Sedation dentistry allows your pediatric dentist to provide a variety of dental treatments safely and comfortably for children who experience anxiety when visiting the dentist. There are several benefits to sedation dentistry, including:

• No memory of undergoing the procedure
• No sense of time while under sedation
• No sense of smell or sound
• No fear or anxiety during treatment

Levels of Sedation

Sedation dentistry is closely regulated by law, and there are three sedative states at which your child's dentist can administer treatment: mild sedation, moderate sedation, and General Anesthesia.

• Mild Sedation — Anxiolysis is the lightest form of sedation dentistry and is often used for children with mild anxiety, longer procedures, or more complex situations. Mild sedation is usually administered orally. Your child will remain awake or very sleepy throughout the entire procedure and will be able to breathe normally, but he or she will feel a great sense of relaxation. Patients typically recover from anxiolysis sedation within a few hours after the procedure is complete. Nitrous oxide inhalation (laughing gas) is another form of mild to moderate sedation that results in relaxation during treatment.
• Moderate Sedation — Used for patients with moderate dental anxiety and for patients who need simpler or quicker procedures. With conscious sedation, your child will remain awake throughout the procedure. 
• General Anesthesia — General Anesthesia, often referred to as “being put to sleep” or “sleep dentistry,” is a medical procedure that renders your child completely asleep in a pain-free environment, allowing for the safe provision of dental diagnostics and treatment. Treatment is completed in our office by a very experienced Board Certified Pediatric Dental Anesthesiologist.  We turn our office into a surgical center setting, equipped with a full hospital Anesthesia machine and monitoring system.  Dental treatment under general anesthesia is an effective way to provide care to apprehensive children, children too young to be able to sit in the dental chair for treatment, and children or adolescents with special health care needs.  The link to her website for more information is https://epionedentalanesthesiology.com/.

How are sedatives administered?

• Inhalation — Nitrous oxide, or laughing gas, is the most frequently used method for easing mild to moderate anxiety. Recovery is quick so your child can resume normal activities immediately..

Please contact our practice to schedule a consultation, learn more about sedation dentistry, and find out which sedation dentistry method may be right for your child.