Safe, Anxiety-Free Care for Every Child

When children are scared, have strong gag reflexes, medical conditions, special needs, or are unable to sit for one reason or another, varying levels dental sedation can carefully be administered to aid relaxation and allow dental care to be performed. Depending on the particular needs of each child, the pedodontist will suggest the best method of dental sedation. There are several options in dental sedation available for your child, including inhalation sedation such as nitrous oxide (laughing gas), oral sedatives, IV sedation, as well as general anesthesia performed in the appropriate setting for particular procedures or circumstances. Each of these options has special considerations, which will be explained in greater detail before your child’s dental procedure is scheduled.

Sedation is often recommended for:

To ensure an anxiety-free, positive experience and prevent dental phobia.

For children who require multiple procedures in one visit.

To allow the dentist to safely perform necessary restorative work.

To safely and effectively provide care for children who have difficulty cooperating.

FAQs

Yes, Nitrous Oxide is extremely safe when administered by a trained professional. It is quickly eliminated from the body after the procedure, with no lasting effects, allowing your child to resume normal activities soon after.

For maximum safety and peace of mind, all deeper sedation is supervised by a specialized anesthesiologist. Their exclusive focus is on monitoring your child’s vital signs and level of consciousness, allowing Dr. Lopez to focus solely on the dental procedure.

Yes, under IV sedation/General Anesthesia, your child will be fully asleep and monitored by the anesthesiologist, ensuring they have absolutely no memory of the procedure and no discomfort.

For most sedation types, there will be strict instructions regarding not eating or drinking for several hours beforehand. We will provide a thorough list of pre-operative and post-operative instructions specific to the type of sedation chosen.