Dental work under sedation

amother

Tue, Jul 02 2024, 10:16 pm

If your child had dental work done under sedation please chime in...
My dd-6 is scheduled for next week but I'm so scared, I want to cancel it.
I'm afraid about being put under general anesthesia and I'm also afraid of how the doctors/nurses will be handling my child. They won't be gentle because she's sedated. I'm scared she shouldn't choke on anything. I have so many scares... I want back my healthy child after that...

AlwaysHoping

Tue, Jul 02 2024, 10:29 pm

My son had this a few years ago.
Woke up groggy and was out of it for a bit, then back to his usual self, bh!
He was so anxious about dental work, it was really the only way to get anything done (he had 8 cavities and crowns)

amother

Stone

Tue, Jul 02 2024, 10:36 pm

My 6 year old had it done in the past month and my other child had it done a few years ago. My husband takes my kids to the appointments because I wouldn't be able to handle it but BH its ok. Don't worry!

amother

Tue, Jul 02 2024, 11:01 pm

amother Stone wrote:

I would love my husband to take her by himself but he won't be able to give her all the emotional support she'll need. I don't know how I'll handle it, based on my history I might pass out Sad

amother

Tue, Jul 02 2024, 11:03 pm

AlwaysHoping wrote:

my dd is anxious too, the doctor said that laughing gas isn't enough for her...

oneofakind

Wed, Jul 03 2024, 7:16 am

My son had it years ago. It was fine. You sit in the waiting room. What makes you so anxious? It's sedation but not general anesthesia.

amother

Yolk

Wed, Jul 03 2024, 7:30 am

The child is usually given a liquid something so they're a bit more relaxed and you stay in waiting room. It's davka done in a hospital setting. Your child will wake up groggy and cranky but it will pass quickly.
It's scarier for the parent than the child. I was crying when I had to go back to the waiting room. They only allowed me to walk with them up until a certain point and a nurse walked me back to waiting room. You should try to show your child a calm demeanor because it will filter out to your child and they will react the same way so if you're calm, they'll be calm, if you're anxious, they'll be anxious.

amother

Canary

Wed, Jul 03 2024, 8:37 am

I had this done recently, it made me feel sleepy but I was still awake. Some people fall asleep. It's nothing like general anaesthetic.
The dentist will be knowledgeable enough to keep your DD safe.

amother

Cerise

Wed, Jul 03 2024, 8:42 am

Be prepared that your child will still scream and moan while under sedation. My child was also placed in a strait jacket. It is very hard as a mom to hear but your child will have no memory of what happened. You will have to help your child walk afterwards and you have to stay in the outpatient clinic for a while after because they need to observe your child and make sure they are ok.

Tzutzie

Wed, Jul 03 2024, 8:51 am

I had it done for me soon. It def was full sedation. Dh and me both went. My son chose dh to go back with him because only one parent is allowed in the or. He stayed with him until he was fully out.
My son wrote groggy and uncomfortable. It took an hour or so and he peed and was okish and we went home.

It was the best decision. We got our son back but an improved version!
He was overall happier, slept better, spoke clearer, learned better. Overall much much happier and content.
I suspect he might have had infections going on.
Again. Best decision ever.

amother

Cognac

Wed, Jul 03 2024, 8:53 am

amother Cerise wrote:

Somewhere, deep in his psyche, he remembers that torture.
I would do full general anesthesia rather than that "twilight" anesthesia. Under your scenario, he still felt pain as evidenced by the screaming, he just doesn't remember it. That's not a win-win in my book at all.

amother

Stone

Wed, Jul 03 2024, 10:02 am

amother OP wrote:

my dd is anxious too, the doctor said that laughing gas isn't enough for her...

we tried laughing gas for my child and it didn't work so did this

amother

Scarlet

Wed, Jul 03 2024, 10:02 am

You should question on exactly what safety precautions they are taking as there have unfortunately been some bad outcomes. Rare and occurring when doctors cut corners.

I had implants as an adult and was given the option to have just shots or have sedation. With sedation there would be a anesthesiologist there to administer and monitor and it was a significant expense - I think it was about $1000 additional.

I don't like the dentist but don't have a specific phobia so I just had shots which obviously isn't an option for a child but do make sure that the dental office is following safety protocols

From the American Dental Association - see pages 5 - 8 for specific information on sedation

https://www.ada.org/-/media/pr.....CDDF6

https://my.clevelandclinic.org.....istry

amother

Stone

Wed, Jul 03 2024, 10:03 am

amother OP wrote:

I would love my husband to take her by himself but he won't be able to give her all the emotional support she'll need. I don't know how I'll handle it, based on my history I might pass out Sad

they don't need much emotional support once they are there. You can do that before the appointment at home.
my husband said most people both parents came
some was just one parent

amother

Snapdragon

Wed, Jul 03 2024, 2:06 pm

if its being done in the hospital im pretty sure its regular anesthesia. My daughter had it and she was fine after a couple of hours.

amother

Scarlet

Wed, Jul 03 2024, 4:21 pm

amother Snapdragon wrote:

if its being done in the hospital im pretty sure its regular anesthesia. My daughter had it and she was fine after a couple of hours.

A lot of dentists don't work in a hospital but theoretically should have a trained anesthesiologist who is appropriated trained as well has having necessary emergency equipment.

amother

Cerise

Wed, Jul 03 2024, 4:28 pm

amother Cognac wrote:

Where did I call what happened a win-win? I was simply describing what happened. I was very surprised and would not want another mother to also go into this unprepared.

Anyway, your suggestion is ridiculous because you obviously don't know how expensive general anesthesia is. It is also not routinely offered to fill a simple cavity. Anesthesia has plenty of it's own scary side effects as well.

amother

Wed, Jul 03 2024, 11:02 pm

amother Cerise wrote:

Her post is not ridiculous at all. Maybe you didn't read my OP right but my question is regarding general anesthesia, my dd is being put under general anesthesia in a hospital

amother

Wed, Jul 03 2024, 11:07 pm

Thank you all fellow mothers! Most of my scare is regarding the time she's under sedation... I want them to work gentle even though she's sleeping and I want her back as healthy as before.
I myself also have a hard time with the prep they do and all that but this is okay, it'll pass (or I'll faint Wink

)