procedures

Sedation Dentistry

Local Anesthesia

This anesthesia is placed into the gum tissue at or near the area to be treated, producing a numbing effect that wears off after the procedure.  Most dental patients find that the use of local anesthesia allows them to experience dental treatment comfortably.

Nitrous Oxide (laughing gas)

This medication, used for patient comfort, can be used during restorative or surgical procedures.  Nitrous oxide is a great way to relax the patient during treatment and leaves the body quickly after treatment.  The doctor will be happy to discuss the indications for nitrous oxide for your child.

Oral Sedation

Oral sedation is used in select cases.  The doctor will discuss with you at your child’s examination appointment whether oral sedation is recommended for your child’s dental treatment.

General Anesthesia for Children

The most common type of anesthesia for children having a surgery is general anesthesia. General anesthesia is a special kind of medications that cause sleep.  When asleep, your child will experience no alertness or pain.  General anesthesia can be given as a gas that your child breathes or as medications given through an intravenous (“IV”) line.  The IV is a tube that goes into a vein in the arm or leg that allows your child to receive fluids and medications.

During general anesthesia, the anesthesiologist’s most important responsibility is to monitor your child and keep him/her safe and asleep during the procedure.  After the surgery is over, the anesthesiologist will wake your child up.

Ambulatory & Dr. Devany

One day a week, Dr. Viola Devany, our Board Certified Pediatric Anesthesiologist, comes to the office and uses IV Sedation to allow us to do dental work on children who are too young or too frightened for routine care.  Dr. Devany has worked with Sea of Smiles Pediatric Dentistry for 17 years, and we have safely sedated over 2,500 children without complication.  For Ambulatory Frequently asked questions, click here.

Children’s Hospital

We render care at the Children’s Hospital operating room when patients are medically compromised and it is not safe to do in an outpatient setting, the dental office.