Sedation Dentistry

Our team at Happy Trails is trained to work with many different types of children. After all, we love to see them smile! We do our best to help your child feel comfortable in a safe and friendly environment at our kid’s dental office in Calgary. In addition to this, we also offer sedation options to help reduce a child’s anxiety or discomfort during their dental visit. Below are some of the sedation treatment options available at our clinic.

Nitrous Oxide:

Nitrous oxide, also known as “laughing gas,” has anxiolytic properties, which help to reduce anxiety. It is also a mild analgesic, which helps to reduce pain. The gas is minimal and used as a mild sedative. It is distributed using a nosepiece, where the child breathes it in and begins to feel its effects. Using nitrous sedation helps most children feel relaxed and calm. Once the appointment is completed, the effects of nitrous oxide sedation are easily reversed. Shortly after, the child can feel “back to normal”. Nitrous oxide sedation is a great option for a child that is anxious and needs a little help to feel comfortable during their visit. Since nitrous oxide also helps reduce pain, we can sometimes do fillings without the need for freezing!  Do not give your child anything to eat or drink for 3 hours prior to the nitrous oxide appointment. This will help reduce the likelihood of your little one becoming nauseous during the appointment. If your child has had anything to eat within the 3 hours before the appointment, we will have to reschedule. Feel free to ask Dr. Sam if you have any questions about nitrous oxide!

General Anesthesia:

General anesthesia is performed by a trained, licensed pediatric anesthesiologist. They use inhalation gases to induce unconsciousness for the patient. General anesthesia may be suggested for children who experience severe dental fear or anxiety. It can also be suitable for patients with specific dental needs or mental/physical special needs. Using this type of sedation, our team would complete all treatments in one visit. The patient will be able to go home the same day and will not be able to recall the procedure or process. This procedure is done at a pediatric surgical suite in Calgary. Please ask Dr. Sam if you have any questions about general anesthesia!