What is General Anaesthesia for children’s dental treatment?
General Anaesthesia is where your child is fully asleep for dental treatment and has no memory of the treatment. Paediatric dentists recommend GA for long complex treatments in order to avoid the need for multiple visits to the dentist for your child.
Children who are very young or very nervous are also usually treated under GA for their own comfort and safety. Children are very good at sensing their parents’ nervousness or anxiety so it is usually best for the paediatric dentist to explain the procedure to them and avoid talk of the needle!
How does General Anaesthesia work?
GA is given by anaesthetists who are doctors with specialist training. They remain with your child throughout their dental treatment to monitor them in the safety of a hospital environment in a day surgery procedure.
The paediatric dentist and anaesthetist work together, taking into account your child’s full medical and dental history. It is therefore critical that you divulge any medical conditions or medications that relate to your child.
Before and after dental treatment under General Anaesthesia
He or she will be required to not drink or eat anything for several hours before their procedure is due to commence. It is therefore, very important, that you have read and listened to all instructions given by your anaesthetist and dentist.
Your child will want to have a restful day after their GA dental procedure so no school, sport or swimming afterwards and they will require supervision for the remainder of the day. Your dentist or anaesthetist may issue your child with antibiotics or painkillers after surgery if they think it is required but usually children return to school the very next day feeling fine.
General Anaesthesia for Children’s Dental Treatment means that your child has no negative memories of multiple dentist visits and hopefully has a lifetime of happy dentistry!