Should my child be sedated for dental treatment and what exactly is sedation?
Sometimes, despite what the dentist does to calm a child during a procedure, the tactics and strategies are unsuccessful. Additionally, sometimes a child needs so much dental work at such a tender age, that it just isn’t appropriate to have them completely coherent throughout the procedure. For these reasons, sedation may then become a good option.
There are many types of sedation, ranging all the way from laughing gas to putting the child completely asleep. Each type of sedation comes with different risks and you should inform yourself well and choose sedation once you feel comfortable and knowledgeable. Also, not all dentists perform sedation. Most general dentists (as discussed at the beginning of the book) do not perform the type of sedation where the child is put into either a “twilight sleep” or “complete sleep”. This requires a special certificate of training and special monitoring equipment in order to perform. It is possible, however, for a general dentist to perform partial-sleep “twilight” sedation with the proper training. The reason many generalists choose not to do this, is because of the outrageous expense of the monitoring equipment and the high cost of liability insurance to do so.
A pediatric dentist is already trained and certified and the special equipment is part of their everyday cache of inventory. The pediatric dentist may also decide to perform the treatment in an operating room under the supervision of an anesthesiologist. This typically happens when the dental treatment is more extensive and the dentist feels it is in the child’s best interest to be put under general anesthesia or completely “asleep.” In this case, an anesthesiologist is necessary, as he provides the complete care of sedation of the child during the entire length of the procedure. This allows the dentist to focus only on the dental treatment, and helps prevent any potential complications of inadequate monitoring of sedation.
Sedation can be achieved in several ways. Three sedation techniques include oral sedation (child takes an oral sedative prior to dental work), I.V. sedation (child receives sedation medication through an I.V., usually in the arm) and inhalation anesthesia (child breathes anesthetic). A combination of any of the three can also be used. All methods require special training and equipment for monitoring and reversing sedation as needed. Each have their own risks and benefits and should be discussed thoroughly with your dentist before undergoing treatment
Laws for sedation can vary by state and the dentist performing the sedation should be familiar with the requirements needed to achieve a safe and legal sedation experience. Be sure to discuss the risks and advantages with your dentist and anesthesiologist completely prior to committing to any sedation experience.
Tags: Anesthesiologist, Best Interest, Complete Care, Dental Treatment, Dental Work, Dentists, General Anesthesia, Generalists, Insurance, Laughing Gas, Liability Insurance, Monitoring Equipment, Operating Room, Pediatric Dentist, Sleep, Special Certificate, Supervision, Tender Age, Twilight Sedation, Twilight Sleep