Does your child suffer from anxiety or light and sound sensitivity during dental appointments? Do they have special healthcare needs that make it difficult to sit through an appointment?
At Smiles of Austin, we offer the top sedation dentistry in Austin, TX because we see each patient like family. Prior to prescribing sedation, we will review your child’s complete health history to determine which level is best for them.
No matter their condition or reason, we have safe solutions that can be tailored to your child’s specific needs!
Sedation Dentistry For Children
Our local Austin, TX dentist’s office offers the following levels of sedation:
Laughing Gas
We use laughing gas to help children relax, temporarily slow the output of the salivary glands, and decrease the awareness if a local anesthetic injection is needed.
This gas is administered through a nasal mask and is very safe in the low concentration used in our office. The nasal mask, as with all treatment in our office, will not be forced on your child. 100% oxygen is administered the last 2 or more minutes of the procedure, which allows your child to prepare for the completion of the procedure.
Oral Conscious Sedation
Oral sedation is a management technique that uses medications to help your child cope with any fears or nervousness they may have, therefore making their dental treatment a positive experience. We recommend oral sedation for patients who are anxious, very young, or for those who have conditions limiting their ability to cooperate during treatment.
Children using oral sedation will be instructed not to have any food or drinks after midnight the night before the appointment. Upon arriving at our office, your child will be given a sedative in juice form. This medicine requires 45 minutes to one hour for optimal effect, before the treatment is started.
During this time you will be in a comfortable, private room with your child. They may become tired or may simply tune out their surroundings and become calm. Your child may sleep through the procedure and will be closely monitored by the assistant as well as the doctor. We are confident this is a safe and effective way to help your child receive the necessary treatment they need.
Because the effects of oral conscious sedation last longer than the dental treatment, your child may be advised to rest for the duration of the day.
Deep Sedation
This type of sedation is achieved by a combination of laughing gas and a general anesthetic gas, administered through a mask. Your child will comfortably fall asleep while still breathing on their own. This form of sedation is reserved for procedures that only take a few minutes to complete, most commonly extractions. An IV is generally not needed and your child will likely be ready to leave within 20-30 minutes following completion of the procedure.
Smiles of Austin contracts with SedaDent, a dental anesthesiology group, who will administer the sedation in the comfort of our office and will monitor your child closely throughout the procedure. The risks of adverse reactions are minimal, and serious complications are very rare. You will be advised of potential risks and benefits in an additional consent form provided by SedaDent. This consent is to acknowledge you have had your questions answered and you give authorization for SedaDent to perform the requested anesthesia on your child in our office.
General Anesthesia
This type of anesthesia can help your child receive the dental care they need while they are comfortable and completely asleep. This modality of treatment is effective for children with anxiety, advanced tooth decay, or the inability to cooperate during treatment. Typically, patients who are treated under general anesthesia are very young or have compromised health issues in which standard behavior management techniques may not be effective.
Since your child is completely asleep, they will have no memory of the treatment completed. The procedure will be accomplished on an outpatient basis in our office. This means your child will have their treatment in the morning and will be allowed to go home soon after completion.
Smiles of Austin contracts with SedaDent, a dental anesthesiology group, who will administer the sedation in the comfort of our office and will monitor your child closely throughout the procedure. The risks of adverse reactions are minimal, and serious complications are very rare. You will be advised of potential risks and benefits in an additional consent form provided by SedaDent. This consent is to acknowledge you have had your questions answered and you give authorization for SedaDent to perform the requested anesthesia on your child in our office.
Because the effects of IV sedation last longer than the dental treatment, your child may be advised to rest for the duration of the day.
Your Child Deserves Relaxing Dental Care
Dental treatments should never be uncomfortable or scary! Call Smiles of Austin today to learn more about our sedation dentistry for kids services.