If your child has an infected tooth, they might need endodontic treatment, such as a pulpotomy (also known as pulp therapy) or a pulpectomy (root canal therapy). Understandably, your little one might be nervous about their treatment! To make things easier, your family’s endodontist might recommend that your child be sedated. But is sedation dentistry really safe for kids? This blog post provides some important information.
How Safe Is Sedation for Kids?
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and the American Academy of Pediatrics both recognize that sedation can be a valuable provision. It is often vital for helping young ones to receive treatment in an efficient, non-traumatizing manner.
With that being said, it must be acknowledged that there is no such thing as a completely “risk-free” procedure. In very rare cases, patients have a severe adverse reaction to sedation. Most commonly, though, any side effects are quite mild and temporary. Issues like grogginess, nausea and a mild headache may occur as a result of some types of dental sedation.
Safety Precautions to Protect Your Child
Dentists and endodontists are serious about safety, so you can be confident that all appropriate measures will be taken to protect your little one. Here are some steps that their care team might take:
- They will take a thorough medical history. They will ask about your child’s known allergies and medical conditions so they can identify risk factors that might affect how and whether your child should be sedated.
- They may use the least powerful type of sedation that is appropriate for the situation. Mild sedation, such as nitrous oxide, carries fewer risks than more powerful options, such as IV sedation.
- They will carefully monitor your child. The endodontist and their team will keep a close eye on your child so they can take fast action if it seems like a sedation-related problem is developing.
The Benefits of Sedation Outweigh the Risks
If you are concerned about your child being sedated, talk to their care team. They can answer your questions and help you to have a balanced, realistic view of the pros and cons of dental sedation for children. In many cases, the rewards of sedation far outweigh the downsides. After all, you want your child’s dental care experience to be as easy and painless as possible!
Meet the Practice
The team of endodontists at Worcester Endodontics is proud to serve families in our community. We offer treatment for patients of virtually all ages, including children. We also provide different levels of sedation with safety at the forefront of our minds. To learn more about us and how we may be able to help your family enjoy sound oral health, contact our practice at 508-755-3636.