Sedation - Playtime Dental

In some cases, sedation may be needed to allow dental work to be performed for your child. This may be the case if your child is extremely anxious in dental settings, has had a bad dental experience in the past, or needs extensive work done. Our office provides several dental sedation options for children, including:

Nitrous Oxide

Nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas, allows your child to relax during most dental procedures. It is not a painkiller, but works to combat anxiety. Most children react well to nitrous oxide, becoming relaxed and accepting of the procedure being performed. Nitrous oxide is delivered through a small mask that fits over your child’s nose so they can breathe deeply and comfortably.

Nitrous oxide will not make your child “go to sleep”, but they may become so relaxed that they naturally feel like taking a short nap. Once the procedure is over, the nitrous oxide mask is removed, and your child will quickly become alert again as the gas works its way out of their system. If you believe your child can benefit from nitrous oxide, please let our staff know.

Local Anesthetic

If work needs to be done that may involve discomfort, a local anesthetic may be used to numb the gums around the site of the procedure. We first apply a small amount of numbing gel to the area, give it a few minutes to take effect, then use a very small needle to inject the local anesthetic.

Most children can be distracted by the TV above the dental chair during this quick procedure, and our technicians are skilled at making the injection as fast and pain free as possible. Once the dental work is complete, you will receive instructions on how to care for your child until the anesthetic wears off.

IV Sedation

If your child requires extensive dental work, an anesthesiologist will be brought in to administer IV sedation and monitor your child. Dr. Jackson and an assistant will work together to complete the required dental procedure.

After the dental work is complete, the anesthesiologist will discontinue the IV sedation. Your child will be allowed to wake up naturally, and will remain in our office for a short time until they are fully alert.

Whether your child requires sedation for extensive dental procedures, or simply need a little bit of help relaxing for their dental visit, we can provide the best option on a case by case basis.

If you have any questions about sedation dentistry for children, please ask us before your child’s next visit. We can discuss your concerns and help choose the best option for your child to make their dental visit go as smoothly as possible.

Playtime Dental Sedation

Join the “No Cavity Club!”