Children’s Sedation Dentistry

When people think of sedation for dental visits, they usually imagine anxious adults who require medication to help feel relaxed enough to complete a dental appointment, or they believe sedation as being useful for only complex dental procedures. However, dental sedation is safe for younger patients as well and can be utilized to help shape dental experiences from an early age.
Sedation can be utilized in children’s dentistry in the following circumstances:

Promote Positive Patient Experience - Some patients find the dental office to be intimidating, whether they are naturally anxious about health care or they’ve had negative experiences at past dental appointments. Growing up with these fears can prevent patients from seeking dental care at all and can make every office visit a struggle for children. But with sedation, children know they can come into our office expecting to feel comfortable for their treatment.

Encourage Future Dental Visits - Patients who learn to trust their dentist early on feel confident and secure in visiting the dentist periodically for preventive treatment. Prevention is key to limiting the development of serious dental problems, such a tooth decay and gum disease. With sedation dentistry for children, we can help create an environment where young patients feel good about going back to the dental office for the care they need.

Ease Behavioral Issues or Comforts Patients with Special Needs - Sitting still in a dental chair for longer procedures is hard for many people, children especially. However, it’s important that patients are comfortable enough to relax during their appointment and allow dentists to effectively clean their teeth or perform more complex procedures. Children who find it hard to remain calm in a dental chair or for longer periods of time can benefit from the relaxation effects of sedation. This applies to children who routinely experience behavioral issues or who have special needs that make lying at-ease in a dental chair more difficult.

IV Sedation for Children at ABA Dental Clinic

Our dentists are licensed in the safe administration of IV sedation for children. IV sedation is not general anesthesia, so your child will not be unconscious during care. IV sedation delivers sedative medication in a way that is quick and effective and can also be precisely controlled and reversed in-office.

If your child has had bad experiences at the dental office or has special needs and could benefit from the use of sedation dentistry at their next appointment, please call our office for more information about children's’ sedation dentistry in Thunder Bay.