Whether your child needs a tooth extracted or a minor in-office dental procedure, sedation may sometimes be needed to allow your child to have the best overall experience while visiting the dentist.
The American Academy of Pediatrics takes a strong position about the importance of safety in child sedation including the evaluation of certain sedation medications as suitable for children and verifying whoever is administering the sedation to understand the effects of the medication. In understanding potential risks like these, it is possible to provide the basis for a better outcome.
The process is not always an easy one, but at Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontic Specialists of Michigan all of our staff members involved with sedation dentistry are properly trained for the procedure. Beyond the safety aspects of making sure a child may be sedated safely considering their entire medical and health background, there is a safety checklist we go through to make sure each patient family has an excellent experience:
- Proper consent and documentation of the patient
- Assessment of proper dietary precautions
- Understanding the general guidelines of the entire sedation and treatment process
- Training medical professionals with patient simulators to help get them ready for real-life scenarios which may cause danger
As more offices and dental clinics are performing this service now compared with 10-20 years ago to assist with access to care in communities, sedation dentistry sometimes occurs in a traditional setting as opposed to in a hospital where more people expect it to occur. We take pride that we have been pioneers in “in-office” sedation, providing a needed service for special dental situations, since we opened our doors in 1968.
Also, we must remember that children and adults are very different. When a child is sedated, it is often done as a precaution so that the child doesn’t have an adverse reaction and that whatever procedure is being conducted will go smoothly and without any struggle. While children can be more susceptible to multiple (possibly negative) reactions from the use of sedation, if the chances of a negative outcome from the procedure is anticipated because of behavioral or developmental issues, our doctors may advise that a child — especially one six and years and younger — receive sedation to control the behavior and guarantee the situation goes smoothly.
And that’s just it: the psychology of success in dentistry is considered as well. The memory of one bad experience at the dentist can be very difficult for a child to overcome in the future and if we anticipate the experience will be significantly smoother for a child using sedation, the positive benefits can greatly outweigh the possible negatives.
There are inherent risks associated with pediatric sedation, but with proper preparation and management, it can be the difference between success and failure in providing dental care for your child. Safety is a large priority at Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontic Specialists of Michigan and we know because of the steps and precautions we take in providing sedation dentistry for children that need it, we are providing a valuable service to the families in the community that we serve. We always want our care to be very special and comforting to our patients and their families and occasionally the best solution is to provide dental care in this way.
About Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontic Specialists of Michigan, the offices of Drs. Delaney, Plunkett, Ralstrom, Makowski, Thanasas, Ker, and Associates
Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontic Specialists of Michigan have specialized in pediatric dentistry and orthodontics since 1968. Our family-friendly office gives patients and families a more comfortable and consistent experience with dentistry from the very beginning. The pediatric dentists treat children from newborn to 18 years of age while our orthodontists provide care for both children and adults, including being an Invisalign preferred provider. The ability to treat all special needs patients reaches beyond our facility, which has treatment rooms available for children who require additional privacy. Valued hospital affiliations allow dental services to be performed at DMC Children’s Hospital when needed.
Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontic Specialists of Michigan
39400 Garfield Rd., Suite 200
Clinton Township, MI 48038
586-286-0700
www.mychildsteeth.com
