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An anxious or squirmy child does not make the most ideal patient for often necessary dental procedures. Thanks to advances in sedation drug therapy, dental professionals are now able to treat kids and teens successfully who might otherwise be too nervous or afraid to withstand invasive dental treatments. Conscious sedation dentistry allows a child to feel relaxed and calm while still able to respond to certain stimuli and breathe normally on their own.
Minimal sedation is most often used with an anxious or fearful child when undergoing invasive dental procedures. This type of sedation is most often achieved with medication taken orally. More intense, or moderate, sedation is usually achieved in the same manner, while deep conscious sedation is usually administered through medication delivered intravenously. All of these types of sedation dentistry can be administered in the office by a dental professional who is trained and qualified in dental sedation. For additional pain relief, your pediatric dentist may utilize oral conscious sedation in addition to a combination of laughing gas and oxygen.
In order to prepare for sedation, your dental professional may recommend feeding your child a low-fat dinner the night before and having them refrain from eating after that time. On the day of the procedure, your child will receive a physical evaluation by your dentist prior to sedation. While no sedative is entirely risk-free, minimal sedation has the lowest risk when compared to other forms of anesthesia.
Your child will be monitored during treatment for vital signs, usually by a dental assistant. Upon completion of the procedure, vital signs will continue to be monitored until they return to pre-sedation levels. Your child should not return to school until the next day, and should be monitored by an adult for the remainder of the day.
As more effective drugs are becoming available, and dental professionals are gaining advanced knowledge and training in their use, pediatric oral conscious sedation is becoming a more widespread and viable option for your child’s dental needs.
