Pediatric Sedation Dentistry Options

By Jesse Carlson

For kids, going to the dentist can be horrifying. But with the right approach, the experience can be a whole lot better for them. There are ways to make this early dental drama pleasurable and positive, with the right pediatric sedation dentistry procedure.

There are procedures applying the proper use of local anesthesia. These drugs numb the area within the mouth where the dentists shall operate. It will wear off after a few hours. Common among these are Novocaine, Lidocaine, Mepivicain, and Articaine. Then the dentist shall administer a syringe of the local anesthesia as soon as topical anesthetic is applied in order to desensitize the area to be injected.

Also, there should be proper care of the mouth after applying local anesthesia. If the upper jaw was administered, the lip and surrounding tissue will be numb. However, if it was performed in the lower jaw, the tongue, teeth, lip, and surrounding tissue will be numb.

In some dental procedures kids are administered with the laughing gas in order to calm them down right before the treatment. More technically known as nitrous oxide, the laughing gas is a mixture of two gases, oxygen and nitrous oxide. This is administered through a small breathing mask placed over the nose. This gas allows them to calm down but without making fall asleep. While inhaling these gases, children remain fully conscious and their natural reflexes are eased.

There is also the procedure called conscious sedation. This is recommended for very young or rowdy children in order to calm them down. It is to reduce the discomfort brought about by dental operations. In this process, "versed" is administered to the child. This is a muscle relaxant. Also it makes the child remember only partially or nothing at all regarding the dental operation.

So know the proper pediatric sedation dentistry approaches. Make your kids have a fun time at the dental clinic. Make their experience a whole lot better. - 31376

About the Author:

Sign Up for our Free Newsletter

Enter email address here