Sedation in Dentistry (often referred to as conscious sedation), helps thousands of people to receive the dental treatments they need and that they would, otherwise, avoid or postpone due to fear and anxiety.
The behavior of children in pediatric dentistry consultations is often unpredictable, becoming a real challenge for the dentist and can compromise dental treatment. The fear of pain, of the “injection”, of the “noise of the engine”, the lack of knowledge about what will be done, are some of the factors that trigger behaviors that do not facilitate the treatment. This environment mainly affects the child, who is exposed to a situation to which he is not accustomed and which involves procedures that can generate physical and psychological discomfort, such as fear and anxiety, which reduces his ability to collaborate during the procedure.
This condition is aggravated when the child has already gone through some unpleasant episode before.
In pediatric dentistry, the relationship with the child begins with basic behavioral strategies, non-verbal communication, distraction, positive reinforcement, voice control, distraction, presence/absence of parents. However, for some children, due to past traumatic experiences or developmental problems, these strategies are not enough and they continue to show signs of anxiety and fear, compromising treatment. In these situations, the use of conscious sedation is recommended, by trained and specialized teams for this procedure, as it guarantees safety and controls the child’s anxiety during the procedure, as it allows the child’s cooperation and tranquility, avoiding sudden movements and reactions, providing a positive mental attitude for future treatments.
Children undergoing conscious sedation, using medications administered effectively and safely, benefit from the treatment and overcome their fears, allowing the pediatric dentist to provide quality dental treatments, helping in the long term to develop a positive psychological response, in relation to the dental treatment.
Source:
– Society for Pediatric Anesthesia
– Deschutes Pediatric Dentistry