Pediatric Sedation Dentistry in Brandon, Florida
Sedation dentistry can help reduce dental anxiety for your child. One of the top priorities of Dr. Derek Busciglio is keeping your child comfortable during their dental or orthodontic visit. We accomplish this with a relaxing environment, friendly staff, and by building trust with our pediatric patients from a very young age.
Sometimes, though, a child experiences anxiety. The cause can be as simple as a bad, stressful day or as complex as an anxiety disorder, dental phobia, or developmental disability. In those situations, we provide sedation dentistry.
What Is Nitrous Oxide and How Will It Help Your Child?
Our sedation preference is nitrous oxide, also known as N2O and laughing gas. Nitrous oxide is a colorless, odorless, non-flammable gas that is inhaled through a small mask that fits over your child’s nose. The gas slows the body’s natural responses, providing our patients with a relaxed, euphoric feeling during their dental procedure. Your child is fully conscious during the procedure.
The perks of this sedative option are that it starts working almost immediately and the effects dissipate quickly as well. We administer oxygen as well, keeping the levels balanced so we attain the ideal level of sedation for your child. After the procedure is complete, we’ll turn off the nitrous and administer oxygen only to help the sedative effects of the nitrous wear off even faster. It takes about 15 minutes for the sedation to wear off completely.
Is Nitrous Oxide Safe?
N2O is safe. However, some patients are more sensitive to it than others. If this is the case for your child, they may respond by getting into the sedative state more quickly or take a bit longer for the effects to dissipate.
Some people do experience side effects, such as:
- – Nausea
- – Vomiting
- – Fatigue
- – Shivering
- – Dizziness
- – Excess sweating
Allergic reactions can occur, too. Signs of this include:
- – Hives
- – Wheezing
- – Fever
- – Difficulty breathing
- – Chills
We will monitor your child closely for any reactions. Your child will never be left alone while they’re under sedation. In most cases, nitrous is a safe sedative option and is recognized as such by the American Dental Association.
What Is Local Anesthesia?
Another type of sedation is general anesthesia. We do not offer this option. However, we do offer local anesthesia. What’s the difference? When a person receives general anesthesia, a doctor administers sedative medications through an IV. The medications cause the person to fall asleep. They don’t know what’s going on during the entire procedure and it can take hours for the effects to wear off.
Local anesthesia is an injection that is used to numb the teeth and gum tissue. When we perform a filling, extraction, or pediatric root canal, we’ll administer local anesthetic, so the child doesn’t experience any pain. Local anesthesia is not a sedative.
We Can Help Make Your Child’s Dental Experience More Comfortable
Sedation dentistry can make dental visits less anxiety inducing. If you feel that your child’s anxiety is holding them back from receiving the dental care they need, sedation dentistry may be the solution. If you have any questions or concerns, we welcome you to talk to Dr. Busciglio so you can get some peace of mind.
