New Patients

Nitrous oxide is a mild sedative that is safe for virtually all ages. Most people know nitrous oxide by another name—laughing gas! Once your son or daughter is settled in the treatment chair, we will attach a mask over the nose and start administering the gas. After a few minutes of breathing it in, they should feel much more comfortable and content, allowing their treatment to proceed smoothly. One of the biggest benefits of nitrous oxide is that the sedative effects wear off very quickly once the mask is removed. Your child should be able to return to school or run errands with you following their appointment—no significant downtime required.

Oral conscious sedation is an option for children who are older (three years and above) and are mildly apprehensive. This highly effective method can be administered in oral form. Moderate or deep sedation is sometimes necessary for children that are unable, by either age, maturity or developmental reasons, to cooperate during dental treatment.

Our pediatric dentists typically only recommend general anesthesia for children with special needs, children who experience severe fear at the dentist’s office, or children who need several lengthy procedures and will not be capable of sitting still for such a long period of time. Before providing this type of sedation, we will thoroughly review your child’s current health and medical history, any medications they take, any allergies they have, and other important information that will help our team ensure their safety.When undergoing general anesthesia, patients will gradually be transitioned from their awake state to complete sleep. During the procedure, the anesthesiologist will closely monitor their blood pressure, their breathing rate, their heart rate, and their oxygen level. Our goal is to keep them fully comfortable until their care is complete.