For children, life is filled with new experiences, many of which are unfamiliar. For example, a loud noise or a bright light may startle a young one, leading to a fear response later. We see this often in dentistry, where statistics show that one in ten children encounter dental anxiety.
At Sierk Children's Dentistry, we provide several sedation dentistry options that are safe for children. We understand that a child's feelings should be treated with kindness, respect, and open communication. Our treatment rooms have televisions and headphones to provide a pleasant distraction during procedures.
But where your child has more intensive needs, we offer several medical sedation options that make treatments possible and even easy.
Why We Use Sedation in Children's Dentistry
Dr. Sierk has two decades of experience using pediatric dental sedation. In that time, we've discovered that including general anxiety, sedation can remove numerous obstacles to treatment, such as:
- Several procedures are to be performed at once
- Children who struggle to sit still for treatments
- Children with special needs
- Oral surgery
Types of Dental Sedation for Kids in Highlands Ranch
We offer several sedation methods, depending on your child's unique needs.
Nitrous oxide – This inhaled sedation, also called "laughing gas," is a mild sedative that induces a sense of calmness and relaxation during your child's treatments. The advantages are that your child will remain awake and responsive, and we can adjust their sedation level to fit their need. In addition, with few side effects, nitrous gas wears off quickly.
In-office anesthesia – For this option, we have an in-house anesthesiologist trained to provide safe sedation that goes beyond the effects of nitrous oxide. This option removes any awareness from your child so that they can receive treatments with no memory afterward.
Hospital-based general anesthesia – If your child requires complex care, we can treat them at a local hospital for more sedation options. We will offer this for exceptional cases where you feel more secure in a hospital environment.
We Offer Sedation Dentistry for Children in Douglas County, CO
Our teams in Highlands Ranch and Castle Pines are dedicated to providing dental care for even the most challenging circumstances. However, we never want anxiety to prevent your family from receiving needed treatments, and sedation often is the answer.
To learn more about how sedation dentistry can help your child, we encourage you to reach out and set up a consultation.