21
Sep
When Might I Need Sedation Dentistry for My Kids?
When it comes to pediatric sedation dentistry, we understand parents have concerns. Is it safe? Does it work? Will their child suffer side effects? Dr. Sean and our team from Simply Kids Dental in Colorado Springs, Colorado, address those concerns here. Learning more about pediatric sedation dentistry will enable you to make informed decisions about your child’s oral care.
What is pediatric dental sedation?
Pediatric dental sedation makes use of medication to help our younger patients have calm, stress-free dental visits. We’ll recommend the type of sedative we feel is most appropriate for your child, taking into consideration his age, health and the treatment he is going to receive.
Who can benefit from pediatric dental sedation?
Pediatric dental sedation can be helpful for children of all ages, but is particularly beneficial for kids who are anxious about seeing the pediatric dentist, children with special needs, and children who need significant dental work. Sedation will keep your little one comfortable, relaxed, and still, enabling him to receive quality dental care without stress or fear.
Hi parents. So today, we’re gonna be going over our sedation paperwork from Simply Kids Dental. So there are four main important parts I need you to remember when we’re doing sedation. One, please, no eating or drinking. This is because they’ll be in a supine position lying down nice and flat. Anytime our gag reflex is triggered, if they do vomit, they run the risk of choking on that. So, absolutely nothing to eat or drink after midnight the day before their procedure. The next point we’re gonna go through is that your child’s breathing oxygen level and heart rate will be monitored throughout the entire procedure. This means we will have a blood pressure cuff either on our leg or on our arm. We will have an oxygen sensor either on our finger or on our toe, and we will have a CO2 monitor attached to that oxygen nitrous mask that’s on our face. Please wear loose-fitting clothing only. That way we can get that blood pressure cuff on there and no nail polish. If we have nail polish on the hands, we need to make sure that the toes are nice and clear, and vice versa.
Next point we’re gonna go over is that you can’t be in the room with your child. That is because there’s just not enough room, and we really need to focus on the kiddo while they’re going under sedation. We’ll have you wait up front and the doctor will have two assistants in at all times. So we will have the assistant helping with treatment and then a Vital Monitor’s assistant, keeping an eye on your child at all times. That way, if we fall asleep, or decide to take a nap, we’re still monitoring them, making sure we’re breathing, making sure our heart rate and our blood pressure are nice and solid and steady.
Next, we’re gonna be using this medical stabilization device. This is to keep our child nice and safe and in the chair when we’re sedated. Sometimes kiddos like to take a nap, which is totally fine, but I don’t want them to roll around in their sleep and possibly roll off the chair and really injure themselves. They’re also kind of unaware of their movements, so I don’t want them to be reaching up and touching a drill or touching a needle or anything that could get them hurt since they’re too sedated to really understand the consequences of their actions. This is a nice and soft memory foam board, little fabric wraps. It’s basically what I call a sleeping bag or a large child swaddle. This piece of paper right here is gonna go over that papoose board. Feel free to take it home, read it if you have absolutely any questions. It’s nice and safe. The child cannot hurt themselves. This is Velcro and the only sticky part on the wrap.
So if they do kind of play with that, they have the chance of scratching themselves. But that’s about it. Everything else is very, very soft, nice, and easy on them. This paper is what we’re gonna have you fill out, and so this talks about our medical history. Do we have any adverse reactions to medications, any allergies, et cetera. Your dental assistant will go over this portion with you. Then we have these three lines where you’re signing again, you understand, please loose fitting clothing, no nail polish, that you’re gonna be in the waiting room, and no eating or drinking before our appointment.
Lastly, we will send you home with a post-op instruction paperwork that goes over what numbing is, what nitrous is, and what your child may have received from crowns to spacers to unclear. It’ll talk about each one of those procedures and what you need to do for your post-ops. So, now that you’ve viewed this video, feel free to give our office a call and ask absolutely any questions you need, we look forward to seeing you at your next sedation appointment.
What are my pediatric sedation options?
Dr. Sean and our team offer a range of sedation options to meet the needs of our younger patients. These include:
Nitrous oxide (laughing gas), which is the mildest form of sedation. It’s a gas administered through a mask that children wear over their noses. Your child stays awake but is totally relaxed during his procedure.
Oral sedation is given in liquid or pill form about an hour before your child’s treatment. It produces drowsiness and deep relaxation. Some children even fall asleep, and many have no memory of their procedure afterward.
General anesthesia puts your child to sleep for his treatment. It’s mainly used for extensive dental work or lengthy treatments.
Is dental sedation safe for children?
Yes, when administered by trained professionals, dental sedation is perfectly safe for children. It helps relieve dental anxiety and fear, allowing children to have productive, positive dental experiences.
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New Patients: (719) 249-2030 | Existing Patients: (719) 598-5437
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How do I know which type of sedation is right for my child?
Dr. Sean and our team will carefully review your child’s medical history, go over the dental work needed, and discuss sedation options with parents to see how it can be incorporated safely into your child’s treatment. We’ll take your child’s age, health and emotional state into consideration in making this decision.
What happens after the sedation wears off?
The effects of nitrous sedation wear off quickly, minutes after the procedure. For oral sedation or general anesthesia, it’s normal for children to feel groggy or unsteady for a few hours after treatment. Some children experience mild nausea, vomiting, or agitation. We recommend keeping your child at home resting until the sedative fully wears off. If these symptoms persist by the next day, contact our clinic for a check-up.
Where can I go for safe, effective pediatric sedation dentistry near me?
Parents in the Colorado Springs, CO, area can contact Dr. Sean Vostatek from Simply Kids Dental to learn more about our sedation treatments. We can be reached at (719) 249-2030.
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Dr. Sean Vostatek
Dr. Sean Vostatek is a board-certified pediatric dentist specializing in treating infants, children, and those with special needs. He graduated from Texas A&M University and earned his dental degree from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. Dr. Vostatek is an active member of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, the American Dental Association, and the Colorado Springs Dental Society. He is also a Diplomat of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry. Dr. Sean holds hospital privileges at Penrose-St. Francis Hospital, Audubon Surgery Center, and Heart of the Rockies Regional Medical Center in Salida, Colorado.