Despite our extra efforts, inviting décor and friendly staff, some pediatric patients still feel uncomfortable in our care. While this is perfectly normal, our kids dentist in Dickson understands the importance of thorough and routine dental cleanings and preventative maintenance, which is why we go above and beyond to ensure that every child leaves our office has received the care and treatment he or she needs to achieve and maintain a healthy smile. One way in which we go above and beyond is by providing sedation dentistry.
Every child’s needs are different, which is why we offer a couple of different types of sedation. Typically we recommend general anesthesia for children with special needs, or for children who experience debilitating fear at the dentist’s office. We also result to general anesthesia for children who are about to undergo a lengthy and/or complex procedure and who will not be capable of sitting still for long periods of time. Before our special needs dentist in Dickson and team administers this type of sedation to your child, we will thoroughly assess your child’s medical history and current health to make sure that general anesthesia is right for him or her. We will also ask you about any medications that your child is currently on as well as about any allergies he or she may have. Our ultimate goal is to ensure that your child is comfortable and, above all safe, in our care.
In instances in which general anesthesia is not necessary, we opt for nitrous oxide—or, as you may know, it as, laughing gas. Our sedation dentist in Dickson prefers to use nitrous oxide because of its mild sedative effect and because of its proven safe for all ages. Nitrous oxide is easy to administer at our Dickson pediatric dental office. Your child sits back in the dental chair, and one of our team members places a mask over his or her nose and mouth. Then we begin to administer the gas, and only administer more as required. Your child is fully awake and aware but does not feel anything, which makes for a smooth and uneventful procedure.
Another reason that we love nitrous oxide so much is because of how quickly it wears off. Once treatment is complete, your son or daughter should be good to go back to school, soccer practice or to run errands with you.
If you want to ensure that your child receives the dental care he or she needs to maintain a happy, healthy smile, call our team at TriStar Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics. We look forward to helping you and your little one establish an oral healthcare regime that will last a lifetime!