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Unfortunately, not all children have positive memories of the dentist. Some children may be more sensitive or find it difficult to sit still during treatment. But there are solutions from our Tysons Corner office that can make receiving dental care more comfortable for them. Nitrous oxide, oral sedation, and general anesthesia are effective ways to give your child the dental care they need without the discomfort or anxiety that may come with their cleanings or restorative care. There’s no reason that dental treatment should be painful. And all it takes for your child to get started with sedation dentistry is a simple conversation with Dr. Gema.
WE TREAT CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS.
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Sedation is most often used to treat dental anxiety and keep children at ease during their treatment. Fear of the dentist is very common, and sedation can keep your child calm during their appointments. Additionally, sedation helps with pain and discomfort during more invasive procedures, such as tooth extractions. It also helps young patients feel more comfortable if they need to sit still for longer treatment times.
Nitrous oxide (laughing gas) is a great option if your child is nervous at the dentist or if your child has trouble sitting still for their exams and cleanings. The dentist will use a mixture of nitrous oxide (laughing gas) and oxygen through a nose mask, and your child will breathe through this mask.
As they breathe in the gas, they’ll begin to feel less nervous, and may experience a “floaty” or “dreamy” feeling. Children don’t fall asleep with laughing gas, but they’ll be very calm throughout their procedure.
A few of the best benefits of this method is that side effects are minimal, and the effects of the nitrous oxide wear off within prior to the nose mask being removed. Your child can go back to school or to their daily activities in Tysons Corner and surrounding communities after their appointment.
Oral conscious sedation uses a liquid sedative that your child will take before their appointment. Once the sedative takes effect, they’ll begin to feel groggy and tired. In some cases, your child may end up falling asleep during their treatment, and/or may forget much of their procedure at our Tysons Corner practice.
Side effects can include grogginess for a few hours after the appointment, so you will need to plan the rest of your day accordingly.
Island Childrens Dentistry provides in office IV sedation by a board-certified pediatric anesthesiologist. The anesthesiologist custom-titrates the medications to safely produce the best effects. The patient is still able to breathe independently without a breathing tube like in general anesthesia.
If your child is healthy and requires extensive dental care this in-office option might be the best one.
