Painless Child Dentistry

Many parents worry, unnecessarily of course, about taking their child to the dentist because they’re concerned about pain management. Often, parents have had bad dental experiences themselves and they transfer these negative feelings onto their children, making them fearful as well. It’s certainly not a good situation for anyone!

Sedation dentistry isn’t just for adults!

At OC Lifetime Dental, we provide all of our young patients with a pain-free, no-stress dental experience that will keep them coming back because they have fun in our office. This includes pain management for dental procedures, when necessary, to keep your child comfortable and relaxed.

Here is a list of our most commonly asked questions along with our answers. If you require more detailed answers or have other concerns about pediatric pain management during dental procedures, please give us a call.

Why would my child need to be sedated?

Some children require dental treatment, but may be too afraid to enable them to cooperate fully during their procedure. Sedation facilitates our ability to treat your child and allows your child to enjoy a safer and more relaxed experience.

What is sedation dentistry?

Sedation dentistry involves the use of anesthetic agents to keep a patient relaxed, comfortable and unable to feel any pain or discomfort. Most often, we use conscious sedation with children, which allows them to experience a state of very deep relaxation, breathing on their own. They are able to speak or respond to instructions or questions.

What type of sedation is used for children?

At OC Lifetime Dental, we usually use nitrous oxide/oxygen, a form of conscious sedation that is also known as laughing gas, because it’s a safe and effective way to calm your child’s fears during a dental procedure.

Is it safe?

Well for one thing, we wouldn’t be using it at OC Lifetime Dental if it wasn’t safe! Actually, it’s been around for a long time because it is considered to be the safest dental sedative, even for children. Your child will smell a pleasant scent and feel relaxed and unafraid.

Are there any side effects?

Nitrous oxide/oxygen is non-addictive and generally without side effects. Your child should not eat anything heavy prior to coming in for the visit because, on rare occasions, a full stomach may cause a child to feel nauseous or vomit. Once in awhile, a child may be constipated following the administration of nitrous oxide/oxygen.

How does my child feel after the procedure?

When the procedure is done, the nitrous is turned off and the oxygen remains on to flush out any remaining gas in your child’s system. Your child should feel absolutely normal within 10 minutes and be fully able to walk out of our office feeling fine!

I am still apprehensive, what should I do?

Give us a call to discuss your concerns with a competent member of our staff who will put your fears to rest and assure you that we have the required experience and credentials to provide your child with the minimum sedation needed to complete any necessary dental work.