Dental cleaning at Little Red Pediatric Dentistry in Holland

Anesthesia & Sedation

Some kids breeze through the dentist. Others need a little help feeling calm, and some need a lot. We meet your child where they are.

If your child is nervous about the dentist, you are not alone, and it is not a phase your child just has to power through. A lot of the families we see come to us after a hard experience somewhere else. So here is how we think about it.Most of the time, kids do not need anything at all. Our Solea laser lets us do a lot of everyday work with no drill and often no needle, which removes the two things kids fear most before fear ever starts. When a child does need extra help to get comfortable, we have options, and we start with the gentlest one that fits.We will never force your child's mouth open to power through a visit. We build trust at your child's pace. Here is what "extra help" can look like.
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Our Anesthesia Options: 

Nitrous Oxide (Laughing Gas)
Nitrous oxide is a mild sedative your child breathes in through a little nose mask. It takes the edge off, and kids usually feel light, floaty, and a lot less worried about what is happening.

Your child stays awake and can talk to us the whole time. This is not sleep, and the effects wear off within minutes once the mask comes off. It works well for a lot of kids. It is not a fit for every child, and that is okay too, we will always tell you honestly if we think another option is a better match.
Oral Conscious Sedation
Some kids need more support than laughing gas can give, but not full general anesthesia. For them, we may recommend oral conscious sedation, a prescription medicine your child takes by mouth before the appointment to help them feel calm and relaxed.

Your child stays conscious the whole time. They are calmer and more cooperative, not asleep, and we monitor them continuously from start to finish. This option does involve some advance prep (an empty stomach beforehand, and a grown-up on hand to take your child home after), which we will walk you through in detail.
General Anesthesia
A small number of kids need deeper sedation than oral conscious sedation can provide, whether because of significant anxiety, extensive treatment needs, very young age, or special healthcare needs. For those families, we offer general anesthesia, either in our office with independent anesthesia partners or through a hospital, so your child can have their care done safely and comfortably in one visit.

Because this is a bigger decision with its own steps, safety screening, and preparation, we cover it in detail on its own page.

Not sure what your child needs? That is exactly what a first visit is for. Let's figure it out together.

Give Us a Call: (616) 377-7333