Sedation Dentist for Kids – San Ramon, CA

Keeping Your Child Calm & Comfortable During Treatment

Family of three taking selfie on couch

Understandably, visiting the dentist can be stressful for some patients, especially younger children. In fact, studies have found that roughly 1 in 10 children have some form of dental-related anxiety! We believe that your child’s time at the dentist shouldn’t be stressful or anxiety-inducing at all, which is why to help soothe their fears, we’re thrilled to offer many different types of dental sedation. Give us a call today at our San Ramon pediatric dental office to learn more about sedation dentistry for kids and which options might be best for your child!

Why Choose Gale Ranch Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics of San Ramon for Sedation Dentistry for Kids?

  • Various Sedation Options Available
  • Dental Insurance Accepted & Financing Available
  • Friendly Staff in a Modern, Comfortable Office

Nitrous Oxide Sedation

Boy wearing nitrous oxide mask while visiting sedation dentist for kids in San Ramon

Nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas, is an ideal sedation option for children who have milder dental fears, as well as those who simply have trouble sitting still in the dental chair. It’s administered through a small nasal mask with a mixture of oxygen; it’s able to instill a euphoric mood that’ll keep your child fully conscious, but completely at ease. They won’t mind what’s going on around them and will ultimately be much more compliant with treatment. Better yet, the effects wear off quickly—so if they have to go back to school after their appointment, they’ll be just fine!

IV Sedation

Gloved hands touching an I V needle in an arm

If your child has a severe fear of the dentist, or they’re undergoing lengthy or complex treatment that calls for it, we might suggest a stronger form of sedation such as IV sedation. This method can keep your child in a highly relaxed state, and they likely won’t remember much about their visit, which often assists with alleviating dental-related fears. Our team is fully trained to use this method, and we’ll safely monitor your child throughout the process. It usually takes a while for the effects of IV sedation to wear off, so you should plan to bring your child home immediately afterward so that they can rest.

General Anesthesia

Hands adjusting an I V drip

While sedation options like nitrous oxide and IV sedation are useful for helping your child relax, they aren’t meant to put them to sleep. On the other hand, general anesthesia can accomplish this. We’ll only recommend general anesthesia in certain instances, such as for patients with dental phobia so severe that even routine dental checkups are challenging, or if other sedation options aren’t viable.