Often times children have fear and anxiety when going to the dentist. They also have a difficult time staying still during the dental treatment. This can jeopardize the safety of the procedure and become a traumatic experience for your child. Which in turn sets them up for a lifetime of struggling with going to the dentist.
The main reason IV sedation is used for children’s dentistry is to help them relax, reduce any anxiety, and alleviate any fear they may have.
IV sedation creates a stress-free and calm environment where the child is cooperative. They won’t feel overwhelmed and the dentist can perform any necessary procedures in a safe manner.
Benefits of Pediatric IV Sedation for Dentistry
IV sedation is especially beneficial for those children who need extensive dental treatments, those who find it challenging to sit still for an extended period of time, and those with special needs.
Pediatric dentistry uses a few types of sedation for children, ranging from the more mild options such as laughing gas (nitrous oxide) to sedations of deeper levels, such as conscious sedation and IV sedation.
Choosing the right sedation or your child will depend on a few factors, such as the child’s medical history, age, complexity of the dental treatments being performed, and their level of anxiety.
To ensure all safety precautions are taken, make sure a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) is there to monitor your child’s vital signs while the dentist concentrates on the procedures.
J.P. Abenstein, former president of the American Society of Anesthesiologists told the Hartford Courant, “Ask how your vital signs will be monitored while you’re sedated and who will do the monitoring. In rare cases, sedative drugs cause people to stop breathing, and you want to be sure that someone is monitoring your vital signs at all times and that there’s an emergency plan in place in case something goes wrong. Ideally, the office should have a defibrillator and everyone on the medical team should have training in advanced cardiac life support”
Dental sedation provides an effective way for children to receive the dental care they need without all the distress and discomfort. It also helps create a positive experience, setting them up for lifetime of good oral health habits.
