Sedation & Sleep Dentistry

Our team at Beach Kids Dentistry absolutely loves working with kids! We understand that each child is unique and we strive to tailor our approach to meet their specific needs.

While some children only require a nurturing and supportive environment to feel comfortable during dental treatment, others may need additional support. To help reduce anxiety and improve cooperation during dental procedures, we utilize nitrous oxide sedation at our clinic.

Nitrous oxide (also known as laughing gas) is a commonly used anxiolytic agent in paediatric dentistry. It is a colourless and odourless gas that is inhaled through a small mask placed over a child’s nose. Nitrous oxide may help to relax a child, reduce anxiety and improve cooperation during dental procedures.
Your child remains awake and responsive during a nitrous oxide sedation, but is in a state of relaxation. One advantage of nitrous oxide sedation is its rapid onset and recovery, allowing your child to recover quickly and resume normal activities after the procedure.

Overall, nitrous oxide can be a useful tool for managing anxiety and facilitating cooperation in children. It can also be beneficial in the management of pain and works well for children whose gag reflex interferes with dental treatment.

Awake “Oral” sedation can be useful in helping a child feel more comfortable and relaxed during dental treatment. It involves the use of an oral sedative in conjunction with nitrous oxide sedation to help children feel calm and relaxed while still being able to communicate and respond to instructions.

The type and dosage of medication used for oral sedation will vary depending on the child’s age, weight, medical history, temperament and the length and complexity of the dental procedure.
It is important to note that oral sedation is not appropriate for all children or all dental procedures. Your child’s dentist will carefully evaluate your child’s medical history and the nature of the dental work to determine if oral sedation is a safe and appropriate option.

Overall, oral sedation can be helpful to a child who is extremely anxious or requires extensive dental treatment.

General anaesthesia is a medical procedure that induces a deep sleep-like state in your child to allow dental procedures to be carried out without pain or discomfort. It is usually indicated when a child requires extensive treatment, for extremely fearful or anxious children and children with special health care needs.

The advantage of general anaesthesia is that your child will be asleep throughout the dental procedure and will have no memory of the procedure. All treatment will be completed in one appointment.

At Beach Kids Dentistry, we offer general anaesthesia in an office setting, as well as in a hospital (Michael Garron Hospital) setting. Our medical anaesthesiologists hold staff appointments at Michael Garron Hospital and are committed to the highest standard of care to children undergoing surgery.

The Michael Garron Hospital (MGH) anaesthesia team is affiliated with the University of Toronto and participates in the education of future anaesthesiologists at the University of Toronto residency program. Furthermore, they are involved in the education of medical students, dentists with training in anaesthesia/sedation and emergency room physicians.