Why general anesthesia

It is not uncommon for a parent to question why their child should undergo dental surgery at such a young age, especially when baby teeth are not permanent.  We understand these concerns and have outlined a few reasons to consider dental surgery for your child.

Your primary dentist may have recommended your child to have their dental treatment completed under general anesthesia because they believe the dental treatment required is too significant for the child to undergo in the dental office setting. Young children may not tolerate sitting in the dental chair for extended amount of time to complete the needed dental treatment.  If a child can not sit still for his treatment their safety could be compromised.  Dental tools could cause injury or harm to any patient who is not able to remain still.  For this reason a child may be much safer to undergo their procedure with the help of general anesthesia.

Between the buzzing equipment, bright lights, sharp objects, unappealing taste and smells, complex dental treatment at a young age can often cause children to be scared of, or develop negative associations with dentistry.  Allowing children to "sleep" through their procedure ensures they maintain a more positive perception of oral healthcare and helps to alleviate fear and anxiety for future dental visits.

While patients are under anesthesia, dentist are able to gain better access to the entire mouth.  This will help restoration to go smoothly and efficiently, and may help dentist better identify and treat damage that was unable to be seen otherwise.  Full treatment at our surgery center also avoids the need for multiple return visits to complete restorative work in the office.  Our providers can accomplish more treatment during a single appointment while the child is sleeping.

No one wants to see their child in pain.  However tooth decay can cause extreme pain for children-both ongoing pain as well as sharp throbbing and spontaneous pain during certain activities like eating or speaking .  Dental surgery allows our experts to address the issue causing pain so that your child may happily return to their everyday lives.

Baby teeth save space for permanent/adult teeth. If a baby tooth is lost to decay early, the neighboring teeth may drift, causing there to be less space for erupting permanent teeth, leading to space and cosmetic issues down the line -not to mention costly orthodontia.  In addition, a decaying baby tooth may have an abscess forming underneath the roots that cannot be seen or felt.  Because permanent teeth develop right underneath this infection, a large cavity could cause irreversible harm to the developing permanent tooth underneath.  It is always wise to address dental issue with baby teeth, in order to ensure proper, healthy oral development as a child grows

Studies have repeatedly shown a correlation between good oral health and good overall health.  By addressing oral health issues and dental decay early on, you may be setting your child up for greater overall wellness as they grow,