What You Need to Know About Sedation Dentistry

Should my child get sedation dentistry? Is it safe?

When it comes to getting certain dental procedures, the goal of our South Miami pediatric dentists Dr. Mario Martinez, Dr. Rebecca Lenard and Dr. Danielle Fernandez is to make sure that your child feels comfortable and at ease in the dental chair; however, we also know that having to undergo certain procedures can make kids nervous. That’s why we also offer sedation dentistry, a safe and effective way to help take the edge off the next time you child needs a filling, root canal or other dental procedure.

Types of Sedation Dentistry

The three most common types of sedation dentistry that we offer here in our South Miami pediatric dentistry practice are oral sedation, inhalation sedation and IV sedation. The type of sedation that is ideal for your child will depend on the level of anxiety they are experiencing as well as the type of procedure they are undergoing. Oral sedation may take 20-30 minutes to kick in but can last for hours. Our dentist can also alter the dosage of oral sedation to provide everything from mild or strong sedative effects.

Inhalation sedation, also known as nitrous oxide (“laughing gas”) is another way to help keep kids relaxed. A mask is placed over the nose to deliver laughing gas to our little patient. Results are usually felt in just five minutes. Once the procedure is complete and the mask is removed the effects of this sedation quickly go away.

IV sedation is typically used in more serious dental procedures such as removing wisdom teeth or performing jaw surgery. This type of sedation is administered through an IV in the child’s vein, and it will put the patient to sleep throughout the procedure.

When Sedation is Used

While sedation dentistry is often used to keep kids feeling calm and relaxed during a dental procedure it can also be used,

  • To make children more comfortable, especially children dealing with musculoskeletal disorders and conditions that may make it more difficult to sit in one position for long periods of time
  • To calm children with special needs and sensitive gag reflexes
  • To improve the speed and efficiency of the surgery or dental procedures since distractions due to fear, anxiety or agitation are eliminated
  • When a child requires multiple procedures at once or has to undergo a long procedure

If your child has an upcoming dental procedure that has them feeling nervous then you may want to talk with our South Miami dental team about whether sedation dentistry is right for them. Call South Miami Pediatric Dental Assoc at (305) 666-2068 to schedule a consultation or to ask about sedation dentistry for your child.