If your child is extremely frightened of the dentist and dental procedures, you may avoid bringing him or her to the office for treatment. It’s understandable, especially considering that the very sound of a dental drill can traumatize some children. But dental treatment is extremely important for children’s oral and overall health. That’s why we use general anesthesia, or putting the patient to sleep, as an option for certain children so that necessary treatment can be performed.
For children who need a lot of dental work at one time
Your child may need longer procedures, perhaps on multiple teeth. General anesthesia can allow your child to undergo a complete treatment with much less stress, including:
- X-rays
- Cleanings
- Drilling
- Fillings
- Extractions
- Crowns
- Sealants
A comfortable and safe way to treat your child
An important advantage for using general anesthesia during dental work is that treatments can be performed more quickly and your child won’t be struggling to endure the procedures. In addition, anesthesia medications can have an amnesia effect that means your child won’t remember much about anything related to the procedure.
A dental anesthesiologist performs and oversees the procedure
For parents that may be uncomfortable with the idea of their child having general anesthesia at the dentist, we offer this option with a dental anesthesiologist present on site to administer and monitor the procedure. We do, however, advise our parents to make sure that their insurance plans will cover the costs of general anesthesia.
Could this option be right for your child?
If your toddler or younger child is experiencing dental issues but exhibits an extreme fear of the dentist, you may want to consider general anesthesia. In fact, some older children fear the dentist as a result of earlier treatment, also making them candidates.
General anesthesia can allow your child to undergo important dental care treatments and avoid most of the stress and fear. And by avoiding trauma at an early age, your child may eventually outgrow their fear of the dentist so that future visits won’t be as difficult. Call us today to schedule an appointment: (800) 717-KIDS.
