Dental Sedation for Special Needs

Children’s dental appointments can be extremely stressful for parents and dentists alike. Sometimes treating children and making them feel calm and relaxed during dental procedures isn’t easy. The struggle is several folds more if the patient is a special needs child. Special needs children (having a physical, mental, or behavioral disability or cognitive limitations) tend to not respond to instructions as well. This is where dental sedation can help. 

What is Dental Sedation?

Dental sedation is the procedure of sedating a patient before or during a dental procedure to calm them down and ensure that the procedure is completed smoothly. Dental sedation is extremely useful in the case of special needs patients, as it reduces the phobia and anxiety of the patient, offers them comfort, and gives the dentist absolute control over the patient and procedure.

How Does Dental Sedation Help Special Needs Patients?

Dental sedation allows the dentist to perform dental procedures on special needs patients comfortably. Below are some of the most prominent ways in which dental sedation can help:

Relaxes the Patients

Special needs patients may have a hard time trying to sit still and follow instructions. A dentist can’t perform a procedure unless the patient is still and composed and responds to their instructions. Since this may not be possible when the patient is a special needs child, dental sedation relaxes the patient and allows the dentist to carry out the procedure without any disturbance. 

Reduces Risk of Injury

If the patient isn’t relaxed, moves too much, or is restless, the risk of injury increases significantly. In the case of special needs patients, the risk is very high. Dental sedation reduces this risk significantly by sedating the patient so that there aren’t any unwanted movements or any restlessness during the procedure. 

If you’re looking for a suitable children’s dentist for your special needs child, visit us at Little Rockies Kids Dental. We’re experts in child dentistry.