Little Bytes Services

Safe Sedation

Dental appointments can make some children feel uneasy, especially if they know they are going for a filling or surgical procedure. At Little Bytes Pediatric Dentistry, our hygienists and doctors are well-trained and experienced in working with children in a dental setting and can frequently calm children’s fears and anxiety simply through conversation and explanation about what they are doing.

If a little extra help is needed, we offer safe sedation dentistry to our patients to help them relax for dental treatment.

If your child is anxious about the dentist or has special needs, they may benefit from the use of sedation during their dental treatment.

Common Types of Sedation Dentistry for Children

There are multiple levels of sedation dentistry, but the safest and most commonly used methods for kids are nitrous oxide, oral sedation, and general anesthesia.

NITROUS OXIDE

Nitrous oxide is a mild sedative that won't put your child to sleep and wears off quickly. The nitrous oxide is blended with oxygen that your child breathes in through a mask. After a few minutes, they begin feeling calm and relaxed, but they can still respond to commands.

ORAL CONSCIOUS SEDATION

Oral conscious sedation requires a prescription from a pediatric dentist for an oral sedative. These provide mild to moderate sedation, depending on the dosage and type of medication. Your child will be conscious during the procedure and will be able to respond to commands, although they might fall asleep.

GENERAL ANESTHESIA

Sometimes, treatment cannot be safely completed while the child is awake, or nitrous oxide won't be effective. In those instances, general anesthesia can be used.

This sedation is administered by a board-certified anesthesiologist who monitors your child throughout the procedure. When under general anesthesia, your child will fall into a deep sleep and not remember anything upon waking up.

Our dentists have hospital privileges at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford and Kaiser Santa Clara to complete dental work under general anesthesia.

How Safe Is Sedation Dentistry for Kids?

For most kids, sedation dentistry is safe. However, there could be risks for patients with certain health conditions.

Our dentists in Palo Alto are specially trained in pediatric dental sedation. Before administering any anesthetic, our pediatric dental team requires a complete medical history to ensure we can safely treat your child.

Safest Form of Sedation Dentistry for Kids

Many experts consider nitrous oxide the safest form of sedation for kids. This is because it wears off quickly and is easy to control. Most patients experience no long-term side effects from using nitrous oxide.

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