Sedation Dentistry for Pediatric Patients in Ballantyne, NC

Is your child afraid of going to the dentist? Maybe they have sensitive teeth, a severe gag reflex, or a fear of needles, shots, or confined spaces. Perhaps they have trouble sitting still or controlling their movements, they’re embarrassed of their teeth, or they can’t get numb from a local anesthetic like Novocaine.

If your child experiences dental anxiety or requires an especially long procedure, you need a provider who offers sedation dentistry. Fortunately, if you’re in Ballantyne, North Carolina, you’ll find exactly what you’re looking for at Charlotte Pediatric Dentistry. Our practice has treated more than 100,000 children since 1992 and has earned a reputation for always using the latest technologies and treatment approaches. We also participate with most insurance plans and try to ease the burden on our patients’ families by communicating with carriers and submitting claims and paperwork.

Our Pediatric Sedation Dentistry Options

At Charlotte Pediatric Dentistry, we understand that each of our patients has different needs and preferences, so we have numerous sedation dentistry options available, including oral conscious sedation, nitrous oxide sedation, and intravenous (IV) sedation. Once we’ve learned more about your child, we’ll recommend the one that’s most appropriate for their specific needs and walk you through exactly what you can expect before, during, and after treatment.

Oral Conscious Sedation

Oral conscious sedation causes patients to feel groggy, and your child may even fall asleep while they’re receiving treatment. We’ll prescribe you medication that your child will need to take by mouth before coming in for care. Keep in mind that the resulting drowsiness often takes several hours to wear off, so your child will likely feel sleepy after their visit to our office.

Nitrous Oxide Sedation

Also known as “laughing gas,” nitrous oxide sedation works by altering pain and pleasure receptors. We’ll start by placing a mask over your child’s nose, then we’ll deliver a mixture of nitrous oxide and oxygen through that mask. Your child will experience a euphoric sensation throughout the course of treatment. Then, once we’ve completed our work, we’ll switch to administering pure oxygen through the mask. Nitrous oxide sedation wears off quickly, so your child likely won’t be groggy after their appointment.

IV Sedation

IV sedation is the deepest type of sedation dentistry that we offer. Our team will administer medication directly into your child’s bloodstream through an IV, which will likely make them fall asleep. We’ll continue to monitor your child’s heart rate, blood pressure, and oxygen levels throughout the course of treatment and make any necessary adjustments to the dosage. Once your child wakes up, they probably won’t have any memory of receiving treatment.

Learn More About Our Approach to Sedation Dentistry

If you’d like to know more about the pediatric sedation dentistry options we have available for patients in your area, contact Charlotte Pediatric Dentistry today by calling (704) 459-7280. We’ll be happy to tell you more about our practice and our approach to sedation dentistry, answer your questions, and schedule a time for you to visit our Ballantyne, NC, office. Be sure to also ask about our 100% Satisfaction Guarantee.