Dental treatment using INHALATION SEDATION ?

[maltesers]

My youngest ds has refuses several times now to have his filling done at our usual private dentist. If he doesnt have the filling , in time, he will maybe need the pre molar extracted under a general anaesthetic. Therefore, I have asked for him to be refered to another dentist that administers Inhalation Sedation ,, like Gas and Air i think. My ds is 8 and has been in hopital a lot when a toddler. He has had 9 anaesthetics and is very nervous around masked and gowned doctors/dentists. He had a Tracheotomy in his airway when he was 18 months and has had Tracheal Reconstruction at G.O.Street.
Can any one advise about this technique to calm and relax nervous children when having fillings etc.

I remember having a g& a as a child and it was scary to have it but i don't rememeber being in pain.

If it's like gas and air, then my dd has had this. She also had a phobia of white coats, clinical rooms and particularly dentists. We asked for her to be referred to a specialist paediatric dentist when she needed work done on her teeth.
He was fantastic. He was very patient and did everything at her pace. Gave her a little nosepiece just to hold to her nose and said it was like a snorkel and to pretend she was swimming with mermaids. Told her to take deep breaths through her nose. He never forced anything and said he would stop whenever she wanted to. The 'happy air' worked great. From being a child of 6 who wouldn't even enter the treatment room she had her tooth extracted on the third session. She was treated for over 12m by this dentist and gained confidence. She is now back with a general dentist and is confident enough for regular checkups.

I would highly recommend this form of analgaesia but also think that the dentist's manner and patience plays a huge part.

Thankyou Juuule... good advice. Fingers crossed it will work and he (ds) will go through with it. How old is your dd now?

She's 9yo now, so thinking about it we've probably been going to the very nice dentist for quite a bit more than 12m I'll have to check that one.

The first time we went he did nothing but talk to her about all kinds of things. The first time he let her wear the nose piece again he was prepared not to do any treatment. As it turned out she would only sit on the chair if I sat on it and she sat on me. Dentist was fine with that. He took tiny steps with her and allowed her a lot of control over the situation. He guided but very unobtrusively.

Hope it goes as well for your ds.

The G&A has quite a strange effect. My dd was aware of what was going on, could respond to questions but was very relaxed. Local anaesthetic was used to extract her tooth so she felt no pain apart from the needle sting which was quick and quickly forgotten.
Afterwards she was a bit tired but didn't seem to remember the detail of what had happened.

Cheers JUUULE.....i feel more reassured now for my son. Your childrens dentist sounds fab.. Where do you live then ??