If your child is afraid of going to the dentist, take comfort in knowing that you’re not alone. Various studies show that 10-20% of children may experience fear or anxiety about going to the dentist. However, establishing excellent oral health and hygiene at a young age is imperative to forming healthy habits and laying the foundation for healthy mouths as we age. At My Town’s Little Dentist, we want to mitigate fear in young patients, which is why we offer safe sedation dentistry.
What Types of Sedation Dentistry are Available for Children?
There are two forms of sedation dentistry that we offer to help your child relax during a dental appointment.
Nitrous Oxide (Laughing Gas)
Nitrous oxide is one of the oldest known sedatives. Used for hundreds of years, laughing gas is made up of nitrogen and oxygen that is inhaled through a mask that is fitted over your child’s nose. Laughing gas empowers your child as they can remove the mask at any time if they feel uncomfortable.
Laughing gas also offers the benefit of adjustment during treatment. Our team of pediatric dentists and orthodontists monitor the strength of the mixture throughout the dental or orthodontic treatment to ensure your child stays comfortable. Laughing gas is an excellent choice for children because the effects wear off as soon as the gas is turned off. Your child won’t experience after-effects and will be able to resume normal activities after their dental treatment.
IV Sedation
Children who require complex oral surgeries, or who have a severe dental phobia may be candidates for IV sedation. Our team at My Town’s Little Dentist will discuss IV sedation for your child with you to ensure that you understand the process, and are comfortable with this type of sedation.
If you approve of IV sedation for your child, you can rest easy knowing that a full medical anesthesiology team will be providing sedation. Our team follows all of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry’s standards and protocols and our in office sedation follows hospital protocols and safety procedures. We are happy to answer any questions you have or discuss any concerns about IV sedation for your child. We understand that you may be apprehensive about this type of sedation, and will never pressure you to choose this form of sedation.
No Shot Dentistry
Children (and plenty of adults) fear shots. That’s why our team took steps to become credentialed in Laser Dentistry by the Academy of Laser Dentistry. Laser dentistry can be performed without a shot, thus removing the fear of needles your child may have.
In addition to eliminating the need for shots, Laser Dentistry for children is also less noisy and less painful. It produces less vibration and results in less bleeding. Laser dentistry typically doesn’t require a numbing agent either, so your child may return to normal activities the same day. If your child is fearful of going to the dentist, inquire about our laser dental treatments in addition to sedation options.
Levittown’s Favorite Pediatric Dentist and Orthodontist
At My Town’s Little Dentist, we work hard to help young patients overcome a fear of going to the dentist. Our pediatric dentists and orthodontists have a gentle touch and a compassionate demeanor. We are dedicated to doing everything possible to help keep your children calm and comfortable. Our safe and effective sedation dentistry techniques, and no-shot laser dental treatments are designed to help reduce fear, all the while setting the stage for a lifetime of good oral health. Located in Levittown, convenient to East Meadow, Bethpage, Plainedge, Hicksville, Farmingdale, Massapequa, and Westbury, we provide complete pediatric dentistry and orthodontics. Call 516-226-7337 or request an appointment online. We look forward to providing you with premium pediatric dental care.