What to expect if your child needs treatment under general anesthesia?

Under certain circumstances, your child may need dental treatment under general anesthesia. According to Dr. Yury Slepak, DDS, American Board Certified Pediatric Dentist in Brooklyn, New York, a child may need general anesthesia for the following reasons:

 

• The child is unable to calm down enough with conscious sedation or behavioral modification in order for the treatment to be performed safely.
• The child needs oral surgery where pain management cannot be accomplished without sedation.
• The child needs a lot of dental treatment and it would be best to perform it in one long session.
• The child has developmental disabilities that prohibit him or her from understand directions or why the procedure needs to be done.

 

If your pediatric dentist determines general anesthesia is necessary, it will be performed by one of three types of doctors: a general anesthesiologist, a dental anesthesiologist or an oral and maxillofacial surgeon. Often such procedures will be performed in a hospital setting or a dental surgical center. Before general anesthesia is administered, your child will need to have a physical to make sure there are no underlying conditions that would affect your child receiving treatment.

 

Once the procedure is scheduled, follow the guidelines given by your doctor regarding eating and drinking before the procedure and the use of medications. Discuss the procedure with your child in as simple terms as possible, so he or she isn’t afraid, but has some understanding of what is to come.

 

Follow the surgeon’s directions post-op regarding care for your child’s mouth, food intake, and normal activity. Most children are ready to return to normal activities the following day after general anesthesia.

 

Most of all, ask questions of your care provider. Being informed is in the best interest of your child and will help make your child’s procedure go without a hitch.