Sedation Dentistry for Children

Most children feel a little bit nervous about going to the dentist because the experience is still new to them. For some kids, receiving a dental cleaning or treatment causes so much anxiety that they cannot cooperate with the dental staff. Luce Tooth Pediatric Dentistry understands this, which is why we offer sedation dentistry in Seminole, FL.

Types of Sedation Available
Nitrous oxide, commonly referred to as laughing gas, is one of the most common types of sedation used for both children and adults. Dr. Luce or Dr. Scheps places a hard plastic mask over your child’s face that contains oxygen and medicine. The relaxing medication starts working as soon as your child takes a few deep breaths. Your son or daughter will be awake but calm during the dental cleaning or other procedure and may laugh or feel a little bit silly.

Mild to Moderate Sedation
We usually reserve this type of sedation for older children and teenagers who feel anxious about their dental appointments. Your child remains awake but feels sleepier with moderate sedation. We administer oral medication at the start of the procedure, which your child may not have any memory of later. The benefit of mild to moderate sedation is that children can respond to requests from our dentists and dental assistants.

Deep Sedation or General Anesthesia
These types of sedation put children to sleep and require constant supervision by our staff since the medications affect breathing. Moderate sedation comes in the form of oral medication, while we deliver medication through an intravenous tube for general anesthesia. These options may be appropriate for a child with special needs who is unable to understand the reason for the dental work or one who has severe dental anxiety.

Please contact us with any additional questions about sedation dentistry in Seminole, FL.