Dental Sedation for 5 Year Old

I can't imagine making my kids go through the trauma of having gas, then shots, then the pulling and poking, the drilling and grinding, the smell...ewwww, then feeling the motion of the drill grinding away the tooth just to put a rod in to attach a cap to. I can live without them having that adventure.

I love our pediatric dentist and will not have the kids go through that until they are old enough to understand before what is going to happen and that it will hurt. Not a lot but it will hurt. Otherwise they'll go and sleep through the entire procedure in the out patient surgery center.

I will take the kids to the same pediatric dentist until he tells me they are just too old.

I see a dentist who specializes in pediatrics and I just love him! The whole office is geared towards kids and the assistants are all well-trained in working with young children.

My 4-year-old had to have some work done and they gave him some medication that didn't knock him out, but made him extremely sleepy. He basically took a nap during the procedure and then woke up as soon as it was over and acted totally fine. Maybe that's an option?

My 6-year-old had some fillings done with just gas. He was nervous, but he did quite well. I made sure that he understood that he would be safe, I would be right there with him, that the work was necessary, and that if he didn't hold still he'd have to have it done again. I did not talk about what they'd be doing other than "getting out the sugar bugs." No mention of drills, needles, scraping...

Good luck!

If it was me I would want him out for getting this procedure done. Have you ever gotten a cap? It takes about two hours per tooth for an adult. I stayed awake and had nothing put shots for mine but then I am used to having dental work done. I would think the dentist would tell you if he recommends not knocking him out for a procedure, it is his hands in there doing the work and he doesn't want to get chomped on or make a child uncomfortable. They still do all the dental shots even if they knock them out for pain managment later. If he just needed a filling it would most likely just be gas at his age I would assume. Have you asked the dentist this question yet? I would and see what he says. I hope the prodecure goes well. I don't know why he needs caps but if it is a cavity thing I have to recommend ACT kids mouthwash, it stopped my son from getting cavities and my daughter has not ever had one yet.

i envy you having a dentist who will use gas! it's so hard to find one around here any more, for adults or kids.
khairete
S.

I guess it depends on your child. We go to a pedi dentist. They have two methods. One is sedation where they are out and the other is just this drink that keeps them relaxed and that is what I do most of the time. It is more expensive, but if they are drilling for a filling, I just can't imagin them getting the needle at this young age with out that orange drink. So I guess it is up to your child. If he is not nervous and he seems to be really good and can handle it...then I say put your foot down. We are a cash pat. and so we have a lot to say as to what can be done. Sometimes when ins pays, they seem to be more incline to use the insurance and what they get money back for.

My oldest got laughing gas until he was about 10 years old. The dentist begins suggesting not doing it at around 8 years old for smaller fillings but his were always a lot of work so we used the gas a little longer than they normally do.