Sedation Dentistry – Chesterfield, MO
Helping Your Child Feel Calm In The Treatment Chair
Dental fear and anxiety keeps many parents from bringing their children into the dental office as often as they need to. Our team completely understands that as a parent, you aim to protect your child from traumatic experiences. We also know that without the treatment they need, they may be at risk for developing oral health problems that could permanently impact their smile. That’s why we allow parents to come back into the treatment room with their children to help them feel safer and more comfortable. We also offer multiple forms of sedation dentistry in Chesterfield, MO, including hospital-administered anesthesia if desired, to allow them to feel relaxed and at-ease.
Why Choose Homer Sedighi, D.M.D. for Sedation Dentistry?
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Fast-Acting
Nitrous Oxide
Sedation -
Licensed Pediatric
Dentist -
Friendly &
Understanding
Dental Staff
Nitrous Oxide Dental Sedation
When your child enters one of our fun, themed treatment rooms, before we begin the procedure, we’ll place a small disposable nose mask on their face. This will allow them to breathe in the colorless, odorless oxygen gas before administration. Within a couple of minutes, they’ll feel a wave of relaxation and tingling euphoria that will immediately calm their nerves. While your child is under nitrous oxide influence, our team will work quickly and effectively. At the conclusion of dental treatment, 100% oxygen is administered. At that time, your child will begin to feel the effects wear off.
Hospital/ General Anesthesia
Safety is always the #1 priority when treating children, which is why Dr. Sedighi may recommend hospital/general anesthesia for patients who are particularly young, who struggle with extreme fear/anxiety in the dental chair, or have special needs. As an Associate Professor at Washington University School of Medicine and a Faculty Member at Mercy Children’s Hospital, he can provide this advanced option in a safe environment. Above all else, we want to do what’s best for your son or daughter.
Sedation Dentistry FAQs
Is Sedation Dentistry Safe for Kids?
Sedation dentistry can often be uniquely useful for children, as they tend to be disproportionately fearful of the dentist. If you’re interested in helping your child relax at their appointment, you’ll be happy to hear that when administered by a trained professional these sedatives are completely safe.
Nitrous oxide is one of the milder sedatives and its dosage is easily controlled by us throughout the procedure, making is an excellent option for younger patients. The only risk is some mild nausea after the treatment is complete, so it may be a good idea to limit what your child eats before receiving the sedation.
What Does it Feel Like to be Sedated at the Dentist?
The way your child will feel will obviously depend on the sedative they’re using. While all of them are good at putting children at ease and helping them to relax, the actual sensation of each sedative is slightly different.
Nitrous oxide tends to make people feel light and giggly, as you’d expect from something called “laughing gas.” IV sedation, on the other hand, tends to make patients feel heavy, and can even cause them to nod off during the procedure.
How Long does Dental Sedation Last?
As you can imagine, the amount of time you can expect the dental sedatives to effect you depends on which one your child is using. In the case of nitrous oxide, feelings of sedation should wear off entirely within minutes of the flow of gas stopping. The effects of IV sedation should also fade fairly quickly, though it’s common for patients to feel groggy for the rest of the day after the treatment is completed.
Who Is a Good Candidate for Sedation?
Sedation is often advertised to those patients who have trouble making their way to the dentist’s office due to anxiety, allowing them to relax for the duration of their appointment. However, there are other reasons why they’re useful, like in helping disabled patients stay calm during treatment or to suppress gag reflexes that make care otherwise difficult.
Sedatives are safe for most patients, which means that just about anyone who wants them can make use of them. There are, however, some medications that can make this a problem, so it’s important to review your child’s medical history if they’re receiving sedation.