Does your child experience general anxiety or heightened sensitivity that makes it difficult for them to comfortably visit their dentist in Hamilton? Hamilton Pediatric Dental Care offers in-house sedation dentistry for children in our Hamilton, ON dental office as well as hospital anesthesia at McMaster Children’s Hospital to help them have a non-traumatic and stress-free experience, all while keeping up with their oral health. Our team will monitor them while they’re under sedation, and you can rest-assured that they’re in highly trained and capable hands.
Oral Conscious Dental Sedation
Oral conscious sedation is a simple and highly-effective calming method that we offer to children who have more moderate to severe dental phobia, anxiety, or sensitivities to the sights, sounds, and smells of our dental office. Before their appointment, we’ll have them take a single pill that will help them feel relaxed and calm by the time they arrive. The effects of oral conscious sedation last well beyond the length of their appointment, so we’ll provide you with some tips to take care of them afterward!
Nitrous Oxide Dental Sedation
Nitrous oxide is a fast-acting form of sedation that we administer in-office as soon as your child has had a chance to settle into one of our comfortable treatment chairs. We’ll place a small nose mask on them that will allow them to breathe in the colorless, sweet smelling gas, and within minutes, they’ll begin to feel more at-ease. We’ll monitor their vitals throughout the entire process, and they’ll be able to respond to our questions, even under sedation. As soon as their treatment is complete, we’ll remove the mask and the effects will wear off within a couple of minutes.
Hospital Based General Anesthesia
In addition to our in-house dental sedation, we also offer hospital anesthesia for little ones with severe cases of dental phobia or who are getting lengthy or more invasive treatments. We partner with McMaster Children’s Hospital to offer this service safely to our patients from facilities that are well-equipped to accommodate them.
Children’s Sedation Dentistry FAQs
Is sedation dentistry safe for kids?
Children’s dental sedation in Hamilton is an excellent resource to help your child feel more comfortable visiting the dentist by reducing their anxiety both presently and later in life.
Dr. Michael Rullo is a board-certified pediatric dental specialist and has completed ample training on safe sedation protocols for children of all ages. He offers safe and effective dental sedation both in-office, like oral conscious and nitrous oxide sedation, and at McMaster Children’s Hospital.
As a parent, we understand that you have countless questions and concerns, and our team at Hamilton Pediatric Dental Care welcomes them!
Will my child remember anything with dental sedation?
While oral conscious and nitrous oxide sedation will allow your child to remain completely conscious and responsive during their appointments, it’s likely that they won’t remember much, if anything at all, about their treatment. Oftentimes, short-term memory loss is a common side-effect of these methods of sedation. If your child receives general anesthesia, they’ll be completely unconscious and won’t remember any details of their procedure.
Is sedation dentistry worth it for my child?
If your child has sever anxiety or fear surrounding visiting the dentist, or they require more extensive dental treatment, sedation dentistry is absolutely worth it! It has the ability to minimize their stress, improve their overall comfortability, and give them a chance to form a positive relationship with visiting the pediatric dentist
Will my child feel any pain with dental sedation?
In addition to Dr. Rullo and our team making sure that your child remains comfortable throughout their entire visit by numbing any areas of their mouth we’ll be working on. Dental sedation can also help suppress these senses your child may experience, allowing them to register more as pressure than outright discomfort. If your child is receiving general anesthesia, they won’t feel any pain during their procedure, as they’ll remain completely unconscious.
Will dental sedation make my child sick?
While it’s possible that your child may feel a little nauseous after oral conscious and nitrous oxide sedation, it’s rare that children get sick. However, every child can react differently to the medication. Because oral conscious sedation has effects that linger for a longer period of time, there is a slightly higher risk of your child feeling nauseous. If at any point you are concerned or have any questions, never hesitate to contact our office.
