Anxiety complicates the dental care kids need. Your sedation dentist near Longview, WA eases dental visits with carefully administered sedation options.
Do you remember being a little kid and feeling nervous about going to the dentist? While dentistry has changed over the years, children still fear dental visits. Dr. L. Blaine Kennington, sedation dentist near Longview, WA, offers parents sedation options to help kids relax and get the care they need.
A calm atmosphere and modern sedation combine
At Cowlitz River Dental, the professional team sees all levels of dental anxiety–from mild stomach “butterflies” to outright avoidance of dental care. As such, Dr. Kennington and his staff have created a welcoming and calm atmosphere in their Longview, WA office. Additionally, the dentist offers inhaled, local, oral conscious and IV sedation for his patients, tapping on the expertise that allows him to use the best calming medication at the right time for the right patient.
Most commonly, kids need sedation for dental procedures that require them to sit still for long periods of time. Filling of multiple cavities is an example of a restorative treatment that may make kids anxious and squirmy in the dental chair.
Kinds of sedation
Dr. Kennington often suggests nitrous oxide to put patients in a calm state. Also called laughing gas, nitrous oxide is delivered via nasal mask and can be adjusted up or down during the treatments as needed. Kids respond well to laughing gas, and as with adults, they experience a feeling of euphoria or even silliness while the doctor administers the drug.
Frequently used with local anesthesia (pain shot) to numb areas to be treated, nitrous oxide is fully monitored, as are the child’s respirations, temperature, blood pressure and heart rate. After the dentist completes the procedures, the gas is shut off, and the effect goes away quickly.
Oral conscious sedation confers a deeper level of relaxation even to the point of sleep. Kids take a sedative in pill form– Versed and Vistaril being common choices. As with nitrous oxide, the child’s vital signs and level of consciousness are carefully monitored, and while kids respond to verbal commands and can move their arms and legs, they often do not recall dental work after being awakened
For the most complex dental services, such as multiple extractions, Dr. Kennington may use IV, or intravenous, sedation. While a child is not totally unconscious, he or she would be very relaxed or even napping during dental work. Again, Dr. Kennington fully monitors the child, and likely, the patient remembers nothing when the medication wears off.
Is your child nervous?
You and your child can rest assured that Dr. L. Blaine Kennington cares for his youngest patients with compassion and skill, utilizing his expert sedation credentials. To learn more about pediatric sedation dentistry, contact the office at Cowlitz River Dental to arrange an appointment with your Longview area dentist.