Anesthesia

It is not entirely uncommon for a child to be afraid to visit the dentist. Lets face it, many grown-ups are scared of the dentist! While we do our best to calm your little ones nerves and make him or her comfortable, sometimes we are unable to complete certain treatments due to a child’s overwhelming fear or anxiety. When this happens, the dentist might suggest nitrous oxide or general anesthesia, depending on the level of your child’s apprehension.

At Algonquin Kids Dentistry, we offer two methods of sedation for parents to choose between.

  • Nitrous Oxide: Also known as laughing gas this method involves a colorless, odorless gas inhaled through a nasal mask. This method essentially takes the edge off of the dental procedure and can actually make the experience quite pleasant. We will closely monitor the amount of nitrous your child receives to ensure his or her safety, as long as the child is willing to breathe in and out calmly, and within moments your child will begin to feel relaxed. Then, the effects will quickly subside when we remove the mask.
  • General Anesthesia: This method is administered by an anesthesiologist who will use medication to keep your child in a controlled state of unconsciousness. This method can be done in our office and allows your child to remain in a sleep state completely unaware of the procedure while preventing movement and discomfort. General anesthesia is typically used for children in need of extensive dental treatment or who may have special needs, be uncooperative or uncontrollably anxious or afraid. Board certified anesthesiologist Dr. Michael Higgins can administer your child’s general anesthesia in the comfort of our dental office.