Many concerns come with sedation dentistry. There are lot of questions that have been raised about how safe sedation and anesthesia are in pediatric dentistry and there are even reports that complications have led to deaths in rare cases. It’s reassuring to know that when done by a qualified, experienced and highly trained dentist, surgeon or anesthesiologist, sedation dentistry is extremely safe. For children that are anxious or have special needs, sedation dentistry is a great way to make sure they get the dental care they need. When anxiety takes over, children will become fearful and are likely to resist. As they grow older it will get worse and they might start skipping dental visits all together.
Sedation Options for Children
There are a few options to consider with sedation. The one the dentist will recommend will depend on the procedure, the length of time it will take and your child’s needs.
1. Local anesthesia– This is the simplest option and involves the injection of numbing medication around the area that will be treated. Local anesthesia works to block the nerve in the area that transmit pain. Numbness will be felt in the area to be treated. This is almost always used with another form of anesthesia to reduce the amount of anesthetic needed to make the patient comfortable.
2. Nitrous Oxide– When patients are anxious, nitrous oxide will be used along with local anesthetic. It is also known as ‘laughing gas’. Nitrous oxide is very effective in reducing anxiety in patients that are cooperative, but may not work in patients that cannot sit still or those who are scared of the dentist. Patients will remember most of the procedure. It is not used as a sedative but just to reduce anxiety levels.
3. Oral Sedation– Oral sedation is swallowed and will be given in syrup or pill form. The effect will cause the patients to relax for the dental procedure. There are some problems with oral sedation as it can take 30 minutes or more to work and can last a long time. Many patients don’t feel completely awake for 2 to 6 hours afterwards. Doses cannot be titrated either, which means the patient may not be sedated correctly for the procedure and if it wears off too early, the patient will feel pain.
4. IV Sedation– To ease treatment, an oral and maxillofacial surgeon or pediatric anesthesiologist will administer measured doses of anti-anxiety drugs. These doses are given through an IV line and are very carefully measured and adjusted as needed for each patient. The doses can also be titrated to get the exact sedation needed. The child will have no memory of the procedure, so future appointments won’t be scary.
5. General Anesthesia– If a child is unable to cooperate during the procedure for any reason, then general anesthesia may be necessary. There is a risk with general anesthesia, but it’s very small. All patients will need to be evaluated and a medical exam along with blood work may be needed.
Sedation Dentistry
There are ways to make dental procedures easier and more enjoyable for your child. Smile Reef has the training and experience needed to figure out the best option for your child so going to the dentist isn’t so scary. Call our office today.
So many parents smile as they watch their newborn babies put their adorable little thumbs in their mouths for the first time. Thumb sucking is an extremely natural and automatic action for young children and it can be endearing to witness. When babies suck their thumb, it helps soothe them and allows them to explore the environment around them. But if sucking habits continue past the age of five or six, it’s possible that problems with their teeth can occur.
Overbite from Thumb Sucking
As children suck their thumb the sucking motion will slowly make changes to the mouth and teeth. The American Dentistry Association has detailed that danger of thumb sucking is that the front teeth may jut out, and the child’s bite will be open, not allowing the upper and lower front teeth to touch. These skeletal changes begin to affect the alignment of the permanent or secondary teeth. If the habit can be stopped soon enough, the bite may automatically correct itself. Your child’s dentist can monitor your child’s bite and refer you to an orthodontist if necessary.
Easy Ways to Stop Thumb Sucking
Most children that suck their thumbs as babies and toddlers will eventually stop without any issues. If parents simply ignore the behavior many times the child will realize that this behavior is not acceptable from social situations and peer pressure. As the child enters kindergarten and is still sucking their thumb, parents may have to jump in and help the behavior stop. If you are ready to help your child stop sucking their thumb what can you do to help? We recommend trying some of the following tips:
• Trying positive reinforcement is always the first option. Making a chart that helps track your child’s progress as they quit is always an excellent place to start. When they reach certain milestones in the process you can have a reward system set in place.
• Being encouraging and praising your child when they begin to stop will help them stay motivated as they seek to stop sucking their thumb.
• You may consider taking your child to a pediatric dentist. Here at Smile Reef, we love teaching children about the positive effects of stopping the habit. Pairing with a dental professional can help validate the parents request in the child’s eyes. While your child is on our office we can also teach them about oral hygiene, help prevent tooth decay, and monitor their dental growth and development.
• May children will suck their thumb when they are stressed out or bored. Recognizing these triggers can help you distract them during times when they typically would fall back into the habit of thumb sucking. Extra hugs if they are stressed out may help. If your child is bored, help them find an activity to keep their hands busy.
Pediatric Dental Care
We hope that if your children have picked up the habit of sucking their thumb, they will stop all on their own. If not, we hope that some of the tips we shared will help them stop sucking their thumb. Keeping your child’s bite from having negative consequences that can result from thumb sucking for too long can be a tough job. Dr. Jensen and our staff here at Smile Reef will be happy to help you and your children on the journey if assistance is needed! Contact us today.
Las Vegas Children's Dentist
Most parents and guardians of little children, if not all, are greatly concerned about the growth and development of children's teeth especially in this day and age where almost any food available in groceries and restaurants are loaded with sugar and or sucrose which greatly contribute to the formation of cavities, eventually resulting to tooth decay. From the time that the first set of baby teeth comes out, pediatric dentists would already heavily advise parents to start a religious and proper care routine of their children's teeth to ensure that the proper development of these important part of a child's mouth are done with the right techniques and required consistency. Caring for baby and children's teeth takes a lot of effort since children are not expected to care for their own set due to their limitations in capacity and information. That is why until children reach the stage where they are capable to care for their own teeth comes, the weight of the call rests on the shoulders of the parents. It is for this reason that proper oral care for children begins with choosing the right dental office which houses the best pediatric dentists who will be the partner of parents in ensuring that their children's oral care are safeguarded. Las Vegas Children's Dentist is a dynamic and vibrant supporter in the campaign against early onset of tooth decay in children's teeth. Certified and competent, this Dentist for kids in Las Vegas, very carefully and thoroughly instruct and teach good oral care to parents and children. This dentist follows the best practices in worldwide standards and features state of the art dental equipment that allows not only for the best oral care of each patient but also creating an environment that is friendly and accommodating to kids and children who frequent this pediatric dentist office in Las Vegas.
To begin early oral care for babies, a competent and friendly Las Vegas dentist from a reputable pediatric dentist office will advise that even before the eruption of the teeth, a child's mouth and gums should be wiped after meals with a clean, soft damp cloth to make sure that excess food would not linger in the mouth. These excess foods when left in a moist area like the mouth would form bacteria which would eventually get lodged in the baby's first set of teeth triggering the beginning of tooth decay. A meticulous and caring kids dentist in Las Vegas would also advise that to prevent the onset of pre-mature cavities, it is best to give babies plain water when sipping at bedtime to prevent baby formula - which sometimes contain sugar - from settling in the mouth which also invites cavity formation. Once the first set of baby teeth comes out, the practice of brushing should also commence, normally beginning with soft bristled baby toothbrush combined with a non-fluoride toothpaste or even just plain warm water to gently clean every part of the emerging teeth. A licensed Las Vegas children's dentist is a strong support in making sure that these early oral care regimens are done by the parents regularly to avoid unnecessary formation of tooth decay that could prove to be costly to take away using dental procedures. Children's dentist in Las Vegas recommends that children's toothbrushes should be replaced every two to three months taking special note of the appearance of the head bristles to make sure that they still serve their purpose of thoroughly cleaning the teeth. There are several pediatric dentist in Las Vegas so one must be very careful to choose the best, and the best pediatric dental clinic must not only be concerned about treatment but more so on prevention methods. So far Las Vegas pediatric dentistry is a cut above all other pediatric clinics because of its practices on preventative measures that do away with costly teeth drilling and fillings.
Children develop their baby teeth as preparatory ground for the eruption of the final adult teeth which they would use for the rest of their lives. Many parents feel that since baby teeth would still be replaced, they could be more relaxed in spearheading for their children's oral care. But this is very far from the truth since the condition and health of the baby teeth would also greatly determine the condition and health of the permanent teeth. Parents are advised that the first visit of their children to the dentist should happen when babies are 12 months old and prior coaching such as open your mouth or saying 'ahhh' must be done to avoid too much time on the dental chair which might be very scary for some kids. Dental patients could rest assured that reputable pediatric dentist in Las Vegas would be more concerned with prevention but would also be very competent when treatment is necessary. A parent could expect that a children's dentist in Las Vegas is well trained in handling children especially the first timers who might have reservations in seeing a dentist for the first time let alone open their mouth for a stranger. But the first visits to the dentist are crucial because those are the times when good oral plan is discussed aside from giving out the message to the children that dentists are friends not enemies to increase their trust and confidence with them. A well trained dentist for kids in Las Vegas would also discuss the availability of important pediatric care such as the application of fluoride and sealants that help protect baby teeth from plaque and cavities. The substance fluoride help make the teeth stronger by protecting them from the initiation of dental caries and tooth decay while at the same time re-mineralizing areas of the teeth that get weakened by acid coming from leftover food or juices which the children consume.
Las Vegas pediatric dentistry is known as one of the best pediatric dentistry all over the United States which practices not only the best dental techniques using state of the art equipment, a Las Vegas dentist also has the best techniques and rapport with children patients giving them a wonderful experience inside the clinic that helps ensure repeat comebacks for consistent and thorough oral care. Las Vegas pediatric patients could expect that as they step inside a Las Vegas pediatric dentist office they would experience the best pre and post care evaluations not to mention above standard procedures including the application of necessary treatments that are non-threatening, very friendly and truly professional. Las Vegas pediatric dentistry is unchallenged when it comes to everything that makes oral care for children fantastic and something to look forward to and having children as clients that speaks highly of the credibility and expertise that a kids dentist in Las Vegas has to showcase and bring to the table. So next time you are in great need of an expert in oral care for you and especially for your young children - including those cute toddlers- consider pediatric dentistry in Las Vegas and you might not go anywhere else after trying its services. With the rising cost of dental care each year, wouldn't you want every dime you spent on it to be truly worth it? And wouldn't you want to see those beautiful and sparkly teeth on your children as they flash you their beautiful smiles? All of these and more could be yours by just visiting a reputable Las Vegas pediatric dental clinic. Check your directory for assistance or better yet take the word of our loyal customers who have given their generous testimonials of how happy and satisfied they are with our services. We assure you that you will have the best oral care on our hands and we will ensure that your children's teeth are not only taken cared of, they will also pass on the legacy of consistent and excellent oral care with their children and their children's children.
The Las Vegas Dentist Office
One of the best kid friendly dental offices you will find in the state of Nevada is the Las Vegas Pediatric Dentist Office. It's got the best ways and practices of making sure pediatric patients are well taken cared of and assured of warm, non-threatening dental procedures that help them ease up and become comfortable in this environment. Many parents regard a beautiful pediatric dental experience as part of the success why children stick to proper oral acre and why they regards a dental visit as an exciting adventure rather than a traumatic one. The Las Vegas pediatric dentistry is one of the top pediatric dental practices not only in the whole State but could also be compared, if not above, other dental pediatric practices in the United States. Parents coming from other nearby States bring their children to experience pediatric dentistry in Las Vegas because of its very popular kid-friendly atmosphere that children would sometimes forget they are inside a dental office. Parents love that their children are having a great time while having their excellent oral check up or procedures and children enjoy because it's like going to the zoo or the park where the environment is fun and lively and not scary at all. From themed rooms with matching themed cups and bibs, the pediatric dentist office in Las Vegas is a must see and must experience for all children. The pediatric dentists are well trained and well equipped to handle pediatric patients but the thing that endears all of them to their kid patients is the way they make cleaning teeth an exciting and fun thing to do rather than a boring chore that must be done regularly. And if dental procedures are needed such as drillings and putting of sealants, the expertise of a Las Vegas Dentist would surpass everyone's expectations including adults and parents who often have had traumatic experiences inside a dental office. So come now and visit us and see and feel the difference or better yet let your children tell you the difference with their exciting dental experience Truly it is like not going to the dentists at all!
