Sedation dentistry
Four levels, and the point of all of them is that the appointment happens.
Sedation dentistry is the use of medication during a dental procedure to help your child relax. It is not about the dentistry being worse; it is about the child being able to sit through it.
Credentialed by
The Medicine
What the sedatives do, and do not do.
Sedation dentistry is a term used to describe the utilization of medication on a patient during a dental procedure. This medication is used to help your child enter a highly relaxed state during treatment, providing a more positive dental care experience. Your child should feel safe and comfortable throughout their procedure and sedation dentistry can help achieve that.
What the sedatives used here have in common
The sedatives used in sedation dentistry:
- Generally have no lingering aftereffects
- Are used in conjunction with local anesthetics to ensure your child’s total comfort
- Are a safe and effective way to ensure relaxation during treatment
- Are administered by trained and certified professionals
What it changes about the visit
- Sedation dentistry provides a gentle, soothing experience that can help your child overcome dental anxiety or dental phobia.
- Sedation allows the body to relax more completely, increasing the effectiveness of local anesthesia.
- Sedation reduces the sensation of passing time, which can be very useful if your child needs a complex procedure or multiple procedures done in a single sitting.
- Sedation’s relaxing effects also prevent muscles from stiffening or becoming sore due to spending extended periods of time in one position.
The Levels
Four levels, from a mask to a hospital.
Which one is right depends on the treatment, on your child’s age and health, and on how the last visit went.
Nitrous oxide
Also known as laughing gas, the mildest form. Once inhaled, it induces a state of mild relaxation and wears off within minutes of the mask coming off.
Oral conscious sedation
A stronger level than nitrous oxide. Many parents prefer it for the deeper relaxation it provides for longer or more involved treatment.
IV sedation
Generally used with shorter treatment sessions. The effects are immediate and may cause your child to feel as though they slept through the appointment.
General anesthesia
Done in a hospital setting at HCA West Houston. The strongest level, for the treatment plans that cannot reasonably be done any other way.
Safety
What we need to know before we sedate.
Tell us at the appointment
Your child’s safety is our top priority. At their appointment, be sure to tell us:
- Any prescription medications or over-the-counter medications they are taking
- Any herbal or nutritional supplements they are using
- Any allergies they have, particularly medication reactions
- Any health conditions they have
- Any questions or concerns you may have about their treatment or about sedation dentistry
Afterwards
They may have little or no memory of the procedure due to the amnesia-like effects of the sedative.
Who It Is For
When sedation is the kind answer.
Sedation dentistry provides a gentle, soothing experience, allows the body to relax more completely, and reduces the sensation of passing time.
Dental anxiety or phobia
Including a child who has had a bad visit somewhere else and has not been back since.
Fear of needles
Commonly used in local anesthetic, and a common reason a treatment plan stalls.
Low pain tolerance
Or a strong gag reflex, or difficulty sitting still for the length of the appointment.
Special needs
Where a routine-based, sensory-friendly approach has been tried and the treatment still needs doing.
A long treatment plan
Where several visits can become one, which is often easier on everybody than five short ones.
Very young children
Where explanation is not yet a tool that works, and the work cannot wait.
The Invitation
Ask about it before the appointment, not on the day.
For more information, to discuss questions or concerns, or to schedule a consultation, contact Mason Park Dental for Kids in Katy, TX.
- Hours
- Mon and Wed 9am to 6pm
Tue and Thu 8am to 5pm
Fri to Sun Closed
