Combating Dental Anxiety and Fear with Pediatric Sedation Dentistry
The sights, smells, and sounds of a dental office can often provoke anxiety in children. At Simply Kids Dental, we understand that each child is unique. If your little one is anxious or even fearful about dental visits, it’s nothing out of the ordinary. Many patients, including adults, have dental fear, often stemming from various factors such as past negative experiences, fear of needles, or low pain tolerance.
Dr. Sean Vostatek is a highly regarded pediatric sedation dentist in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He provides several child-friendly sedation options to ensure that your child receives necessary dental care in a calm, safe and relaxed manner during their visit.
What is sedation dentistry?
Sedation dentistry involves using medications to help children relax during dental procedures. It allows a pediatric dentist to safely and comfortably administer treatments to children who experience anxiety or fear when visiting the dentist. Some key benefits of sedation dentistry include:
- No memory of the procedure: Sedatives can induce short-term amnesia, so children may not remember the details of the dental procedure afterwards.
- Loss of sense of time: Children under sedation may perceive that time passes quickly, making the procedure seem shorter.
- Reduced awareness of surroundings: Sedation can dull sensory perceptions such as smell and sound, creating a more relaxed environment for the child during treatment.
- Alleviation of fear and anxiety: Sedation helps to calm anxious children, making it easier for them to undergo necessary dental treatments without distress.
Overall, sedation dentistry ensures that dental procedures are performed safely and effectively while minimizing stress and discomfort for pediatric patients.
Who needs sedation dentistry?
Dental anxiety may prevent your child from receiving dental treatments, which compounds their oral problems. Sedation dentistry can help your child love dentistry again. It enables us to provide the essential treatments without causing long-term dental fear.
For many children, the use of nitrous oxide or laughing gas alone is often enough to aid in treatment, making deeper sedation unnecessary. Nevertheless, we provide a range of sedation options customized to your child’s specific needs and preferences. Your child might find anxiety-free sedation dentistry beneficial if they experience any of the following issues:
- Fear or anxiety of dental visits: Sedation dentistry effectively alleviates the fear or anxiety that children may experience during dental appointments, ensuring they feel calm and relaxed throughout the procedure.
- Difficulty sitting still for long durations: Some children may struggle to sit still for extended periods during dental treatments. Sedation helps them remain comfortable and cooperative, facilitating the completion of procedures without discomfort.
- Strong gag reflex: Pediatric patients with a strong gag reflex can benefit greatly from sedation dentistry. This reflex can make it difficult for them to tolerate certain dental procedures, causing discomfort and hindering effective treatment. Sedation helps manage the gag reflex, enabling the dental team to perform procedures more comfortably and efficiently for the child.
- Difficulty getting numb from anesthetics: Some children may have difficulty getting and staying numb from local anesthetics. Sedation dentistry ensures they are at ease and pain-free throughout the entire process, regardless of their response to anesthesia.
- Very young or special healthcare needs status: Those who would have difficulty coping or understanding the dental treatment proposed will benefit the comfort sedation dentistry provides.
Our goal is to ensure a comfortable and positive dental experience for every child, tailored to their unique circumstances.
What are the child-friendly sedation options we offer?
Our office provides the following sedation options for your child.
Nitrous oxide
Nitrous oxide is the mildest form of sedation, combining oxygen and nitrous oxide. Nitrous oxide, commonly known as laughing gas, is administered by placing a mask over the nose. As they inhale the gas, they quickly feel relaxed and calm, enabling Dr. Vostatek to work without interruptions.
Your child will remain awake and responsive to our dental team's instructions during the procedure. The sedative effects of the laughing gas wear off almost immediately once the mask is removed, enabling your child to return to their normal daily activities quickly.
Oral sedation
Oral Sedation is recommended for young children who are anxious or require more complex dental procedures to alleviate discomfort. Despite feeling drowsy and possibly drifting off to sleep, your child will remain conscious throughout the treatment.
This sedation method involves administering a prescribed pill or liquid formula administered by the pediatric dentist at the appointment. It induces relaxation without causing a deep sleep. Oral sedatives can induce short-term amnesia, meaning your child will likely have little memory of the treatment specifics. Due to the lingering effects of sedation, it's crucial to monitor your child for the next 4-6 hours after treatment and prevent them from engaging in strenuous physical activities.
There are several effective medications for conscious sedation, and our office will prescribe the most appropriate one based on your child's overall health and specific dental needs. If you have any questions or concerns about this procedure, we are here to provide you with all the information you need. Please feel free to reach out to us at any time.
Is dental sedation safe for children?
Yes! Procedural sedation is safely administered by trained professionals. We carefully calculate and use the smallest effective dose of sedation required for the shortest duration to ensure your child remains comfortable and relaxed throughout the procedure. Additionally, we carry out a strict pre-sedation screening to identify potential risks. This includes discussing your child's medical history, current medications, allergies, and any prior reactions to sedation.
During sedation, we continuously monitor your child's vital signs, such as heart rate, oxygen levels, and blood pressure, until they are fully alert and stable. Our team is also equipped to handle any emergencies or adverse reactions should they arise.
Ready to build your child's confidence in the dental chair?
If your child needs sedation dental care to undergo procedures, call (719) 249-2030 to speak to the team at Simply Kids Dental and find out which sedation dentistry method may be right for your child. We adhere to strict sedation protocols to achieve safe and effective outcomes for your child.