Sedation Dentistry

Once IV sedation is recommended for your child:

• Our office staff will call you to review the following:
  • Discuss your child’s current medical history
  • Provide pre-sedation information and instructions
  • Discuss the IV sedation procedures with you
• Our pediatric anesthesiologist will review each child’s medical history and may call you if more information is needed about your child. Children with very complex medical conditions may need to have their dental procedures at the hospital.
• When considering a medical or dental procedure for your child, you deserve to have all of your questions answered and all of your concerns addressed prior to the procedure. Please feel free to call our office to discuss your child’s procedure; we can also arrange a preoperative call with the pediatric anesthesiologist.

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• When you arrive for your child’s procedure, the nurse will ask when was your child’s last meal, review the medical history, and explain what to expect.
• After all your questions are answered, you will be asked to sign the sedation anesthesia consent.
• Your child will be distracted with toys and/or video games while flavored sleepy air or a twilight medication injection are administered.
• Once asleep, an IV will be placed for continuous administration of anesthesia medications until the dental procedure is completed. We recommend you do not tell your child about the IV, in our experience this only increases their anxiety and may make them more resistant. We like to make it a fun experience for your child to make future dental visits go
  smoothly.
• You will not be able to come in the room while your child is being sedated. This is solely for your child’s safety. Our doctors will be accompanied with a medical team who will be caring for your child.

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• Your child will have EKG, blood pressure, breathing, and oxygenation monitors throughout the procedure.
• The sedative medication infusion is continued throughout the dental treatment.
• Nitrous oxide in oxygen provides your child additional pain relief for the minor discomfort associated with the dental treatment.
• The pediatric dentist will inform you if local anesthesia was used.

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• At the end of the dental treatment, the IV medicine is turned off, and the IV and monitors are removed as your child begins to awaken.
• You can be with your child as they awaken.
• Our Recovery Nurse will monitor your child’s progress and review with you the Discharge Instructions and home care.
• It usually takes about about 30 to 60 minutes before your child will be ready to travel home.
• Your child may be sleepy and dizzy for 3 to 4 hours.
• Children can drink and eat soft foods soon after the procedure.
• Nausea and vomiting are rare.
• Expect a follow up call from us to check on your child’s progress.

**Content copyrighted by our anesthesiology partnerPediatric Dental Anesthesia Associates