Dental visits can make some children feel uneasy or anxious, especially if they know a filling or surgical procedure is coming. Many children relax with simple conversation and explanation, and some may need a little extra help to stay calm and comfortable during treatment.
Dr. Michelle Haghpanah, Dr. Reena Grover, and our team at Little Bytes Pediatric Dentistry in Palo Alto offer safe sedation for kids to help them relax for restorative dentistry and other dental treatments. Both doctors are board-certified pediatric dentists with privileges at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford and Kaiser Santa Clara.
There are multiple levels of sedation, but the options most commonly used for kids are nitrous oxide, oral sedation, and general anesthesia. Your child’s age, health, and the treatment needed help us decide which may fit.
Nitrous oxide is a mild sedative that does not put your child to sleep and wears off quickly. It is blended with oxygen that your child breathes in through a mask. After a few minutes, your child may feel calm and relaxed while still able to respond to commands. Because it wears off quickly, your child may be able to return to normal activities soon afterward.
Oral conscious sedation uses a prescribed oral medication from a pediatric dentist to provide mild to moderate sedation, depending on the dose and the medication. Your child stays conscious and able to respond to commands, although some children may fall asleep. Our pediatric dentist reviews your child’s medical history before choosing the medication and dose.
Sometimes treatment cannot be safely completed while a child is awake, or nitrous oxide is not effective. In those cases, general anesthesia may be an option. A board-certified anesthesiologist gives the anesthesia and monitors your child throughout the procedure.
Under general anesthesia, your child sleeps deeply and typically does not remember the procedure. Our dentists have hospital privileges at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford and Kaiser Santa Clara to complete dental work under general anesthesia.
For most children, sedation can be done safely, though some health conditions raise the risk. The AAPD guideline on monitoring and managing sedation calls for a careful evaluation before sedation, appropriate fasting for elective procedures, monitoring during and after the procedure, trained staff, and recovery before a child goes home.
At Little Bytes, we require a complete medical history before giving any anesthetic so we can safely treat your child.
Tell our team about your child’s health conditions and any medications, because they affect which option is safe. Ask about eating and drinking instructions before the visit, because fasting rules can differ by sedation type and by child. After sedation, your child should be watched closely at home until back to their usual alertness. Our team is glad to answer questions before the day of treatment.
The right option depends on your child’s age, health, anxiety level, and the treatment planned. Nitrous oxide is often the mildest option because it wears off quickly and is easy to adjust, and many procedures using laser dentistry may not need sedation at all.
Our doctors talk through the options with you before treatment. If you have questions about sedation for your child, our team is here to help.
Little Bytes Pediatric Dentistry has served Palo Alto families for more than 10 years and holds a 4.9-star Google rating from 357 reviews. Dr. Haghpanah earned her DDS at New York University College of Dentistry and holds a master’s degree from Yale University. We also explain our fees and how we file insurance for fee-for-service patients.
If your child feels anxious about dental care, we are here to answer your questions and help you weigh your options. Contact our office to schedule a visit and find out whether sedation may be right for your child.
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