Oral Sedation Dentistry for Children – The Main Things to Talk About
- By Mary Marks
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- 13 Jun, 2022
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Sedating children before receiving dental treatment is a very good solution… and sometimes the only one!
Going to a dentist's office is not exactly a pleasure for anyone. Many adults are afraid of the dentist, so we should not be surprised that this feeling is stronger in children. Many little patients vehemently oppose the operations required for their treatment. There are cases where they do not cooperate at all; they do not open their mouth, pretend it doesn't hurt anymore, get up from their chair, want to go home, and so on. However, their dental problem remains, so getting them to a Highlands Ranch sedation dentistry office for dental work is a way to go.
What to do in this case?
Many parents are reluctant to sedate their children, but if they trust a dentist's advice, everything will be fine.
In general, deep sedation is avoided and used only in extreme cases. Otherwise, conscious sedation with nitrous oxide is the most common method. It is safe, involves the administration of the so-called "laughing gas" through a mask, and induces a state of relaxation and cooperation. It is used in combination with oxygen and produces a calming effect so that the little one will no longer feel fear or discomfort. While sedated, the patient is very relaxed and can cooperate with the doctor. At the end of the procedure, oxygen is supplied, and, in a few minutes, the nitrous oxide is completely eliminated from the body.
Drug-induced mild or moderate sedation may also be used when it comes to more complex dental interventions or for more reluctant patients. Patients remain responsive, and although cognitive function and physical coordination may be affected, respiratory and cardiovascular functions will work normally.
Although oral sedation dentistry Highlands Ranch is one of the optionsavailable for managing anxiety and discomfort during oral surgery, you certainly do not need to use it all the time. As a matter of fact, the exact type of sedation or anesthesia that you receive during oral procedures may depend on various factors, such as the complexity of the procedure, your medical problems, as well as your doctor’s preferences.
There can be several different levels of sedation that can be used in oral surgery. Local anesthesia is one of them. This involves injecting anesthetic medication into the specific area where the surgery will take place. It numbs the area and is often used for less invasive procedures.
Oral sedation involves taking medication in the form of a pill to induce a state of relaxation and drowsiness. The patient is still conscious, but he/she may not be fully aware of the procedure. At any rate, sedation helps him/her get rid of anxiety.
In the case of intravenous sedation, medication is administered through a vein, which induces a deeper state of sedation than oral sedation. Patients may still be conscious, but they are less aware of their surroundings and may not remember the procedure.
