Sedation Dentistry – Canton, GA
Creating Calm, Positive
Dental Experiences
The unfamiliar sights and sounds of the dental office can be quite stressful for some kids. Our team at Cherokee Children’s Dentistry understands that, and we want nothing more than to make your child’s dental experience a positive one. To that end, we offer dental sedation to help children relax in the treatment chair. Sedation dentistry can often make it easy for anxious kids, as well as those with special needs, to get the care they need without any stress. Call us today to learn more about sedation dentistry in Canton, GA!
Why Choose Cherokee Children's Dentistry for Sedation Dentistry?
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Patients with Special
Needs Welcome -
Board-Certified Pediatric
Dentists on Staff - Warm, Friendly Dental Team Who Treats Patients Like Family
Oral Conscious Dental Sedation
With oral conscious sedation, we give your child a potent anti-anxiety medication – in the form of a liquid or a pill – once they arrive at our dental office. We’ll closely monitor their vitals as the sedation takes effect and throughout the procedure. Your son or daughter might briefly doze off, but they should mostly remain awake enough to respond to our requests. They’ll likely be sleepy for the rest of the day, so it’s best to have them take the day off from school and stay home so they can recover smoothly.
Nitrous Oxide Sedation
Nitrous oxide in Canton is considered the mildest form of sedation available. Safe to use on children, it can ease fears and calm worries when visiting the dentist’s office. When arriving at Cherokee Children’s Dentistry, our team will make sure your child can safely receive treatment before moving forward. The process is simple and works quickly to help your little one feel less anxious and more comfortable throughout the procedure.
Who Is A Good Candidate for Nitrous Oxide?
Children are considered good candidates for nitrous oxide if they:
- Have a sensitive gag reflex
- Have trouble getting numb
- Have mild or moderate dental anxiety
- Have had a traumatic dental experience
- Have difficulty getting and remaining comfortable in the dentist’s chair
- Have tooth sensitivity
- Have a fear of needles
But before they can be cleared to receive nitrous oxide, it is imperative that we sit down and discuss their medical and oral health. Certain medications can make the sedation less effective, so we need to make sure there are no potential issues beforehand.
How Does Nitrous Oxide Work?
Administering nitrous oxide is simple. Once you and your child arrive, our sedation dentist in Canton will place a nasal mask over their nose and instruct them to start inhaling. In no time at all, the mixture of nitrous oxide and oxygen will begin to take effect, causing them to feel more relaxed and completely comfortable. Many patients admit that they felt as if they were floating.
Because nitrous oxide does not cause your child to be fully sedated, they will remain somewhat cognizant of their surroundings, being able to respond to cues from our dental team. But don’t worry, they will not feel any pain or discomfort, as we will make sure to monitor and adjust the flow if necessary.
Aftercare for Nitrous Oxide
After the procedure is complete, our dental team will turn off the gas and remove the nasal mask. Within minutes, your child will feel completely normal. This is one of the added benefits of nitrous oxide is that it does not cause poor side effects. Instead, it allows patients to resume normal activity immediately following an appointment. This means that whether it is time for them to return to school, go back home, or even visit the park, they can do so without worrying about any post-operative sedation issues.
Sedation Dentistry FAQs
Is sedation dentistry safe for kids?
Dental sedation is completely safe for children as long as a licensed professional administers it. At Cherokee Children’s Dentistry, our board-certified pediatric dentists are trained to provide nitrous oxide and oral conscious sedation so that each child feels comfortable, relaxed, and completely at ease in the dentist’s chair.
With nitrous oxide, your child will experience mild side effects that appear quickly and dissipate just as fast once the gas is turned off. With oral conscious sedation, the prescribed pill that is required will result in longer-lasting side effects, which means they will need to rest for the remainder of the day.
At our office, our sedation dentist for children can help your little one or teenager stay calm during necessary treatment to improve their long-term oral health.
How long does dental sedation last?
When using nitrous oxide to help your child relax during treatment, you can expect the side effects to last for the duration of their time in the chair. However, once the sedation dentist in Canton removes the mask and turns off the gas, your child will begin inhaling pure oxygen, which will cause the nitrous oxide to dissipate quickly. Within minutes, your child will be able to resume normal activities.
Oral conscious sedation takes longer for the effects to wear off because it is ingested. You do not need to worry about it wearing off while your child receives treatment. Instead, it will take several hours before they begin to feel like themselves again. This is why we recommend that they return home and rest until the effects fully wear off.
Will my child remember anything with dental sedation?
Although the strength of each sedation method is different, your child is unlikely to remember much from their appointment. This can be extremely helpful if your little one struggles with sitting in the dentist’s chair.
Nitrous oxide and oral conscious sedation are not as strong as other treatment methods, so if your child does remember anything, it will be very little. Fortunately, what matters most is that their senses will be dulled, leaving them unbothered by the work our team is completing.
Is sedation dentistry covered by dental insurance?
Sleep dentistry in Canton, or any other form of dental sedation, is typically not covered by dental insurance. The reason is that it is considered a luxury add-on to treatment. However, there are exceptions. For example, if your child has a physical or behavioral disability and cannot receive dental care without sedation, it will likely be covered. Also, if your little one is scheduled to undergo multiple complex procedures in a single appointment, partial coverage may be provided.
You are always welcome to ask a member of our Cherokee Children’s Dentistry team about alternative payment options if your dental insurance will not help cover the cost. We partner with CareCredit Financing to help lower out-of-pocket expenses when needed.
Refer Your Pediatric Patients with Confidence
We warmly welcome referrals for pediatric patients in need of oral conscious sedation or nitrous oxide as alternatives to IV sedation or general anesthesia. Our office is fully equipped with state-of-the-art technology and staffed by experienced medical professionals dedicated to providing safe and compassionate care for children requiring these specialized services. You can trust us to deliver a safe, comfortable, and positive dental experience for young patients.