Sedation

The treatment we use for children depends on many different factors. Our recommendations will be specific to your child’s needs. After completing the dental exam our pediatric dentist will discuss sedation options with you that will be the best treatment option for your child.

Nitrous Oxide

Nitrous oxide or “laughing gas” has been used in dentistry for over a century. Its ease of use and quick onset make it ideal for just about any dental procedure. Nitrous oxide is breathed through a scented nosepiece, making children feel warm and fuzzy. Your child may say they feel tingly in their fingers or toes, or even that they want to take a nap.

We use nitrous during some restorative treatments to make local anesthesia use easier and to keep children as calm as possible. The effects wear off after just a few minutes of the nitrous being turned off, allowing your child to be their normal self in no time!

The level of sedative can be adjusted during the actual procedure, from very minor calming effects to a more relaxed sensation. It’s perfect for just about every patient, as long as they are able to breathe in and out of their nose easily.

Oral Sedation

In-office conscious oral sedation is achieved by using prescription sedatives that are given in our office, based on your child’s medical history, age and weight. Within a short time of taking the medication, your child will feel drowsy and almost if they are daydreaming.

Oral sedation is perfect for children that have:

  • Moderate Anxiety
  • Certain Special Needs
  • Moderate to Significant Restorative Needs
  • An Inability to Sit Still for Their Treatment

Dr. Meghan Foster, Dr. K.C. Rabatin, and Dr. Almut Tropp are pediatric board certified licensed oral sedation providers. During the procedure, we carefully monitor your child to ensure their absolute safety. We want you to know that we care for our patients the same way we would care for our own children.

General Anesthesia

General anesthesia allows our dentists to complete extensive amounts of treatment at one time. This is a safe and ideal treatment option for children with special needs or dental anxiety. This deeper level of sedation is for patients that come to us with special needs that go beyond routine dental care.

Denali Pediatric Dentistry offers two options for general anesthesia. Denali has the options to treat your child with in-office anesthesia with a licensed dental anesthesia provider at Northern Lights Dental Anesthesia, or at Providence Hospital.