St. Lawrence Dentistry is uniquely positioned to serve the Mississauga community as we are licensed by the Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario to provide Dentistry Asleep.
Since 2005, Dr. Hawryluk Jr. has worked in conjunction with Board Certified Anesthesiologists to provide General Anesthetic for both adults and children.
In another, Preparing for Dentistry Asleep, we reviewed some of the information needed to prepare you for sedation (sleep) dentistry. This post continues with this subject and focuses on what you can expect during your visit to St. Lawrence Dentistry for Dentistry Asleep.
You (your child) will be given fresh oxygen and possibly some sleep medicine through a mask to breathe. Before going to sleep, the anesthetist places monitor slickers on you (your child’s) chest and finger.
In adult patients, the anesthetist applies a small intravenous catheter at the back of the hand before going to sleep (faster and preferred). In contrast, in children, due to their fear of needles, the plastic intravenous catheter is often placed on his/her foot after falling asleep to administer fluids or medications. In some adults, upon special request, the possibility of placing the catheter after falling asleep with a mask may be considered.
Most patients, especially children, toss/turn, stretch out their arms, roll their eyes, and their breathing patterns will change as they are going off to sleep.
In general, we encourage the presence of one parent (sometimes both) with the child for the induction of anesthesia (not the duration of the surgery). In some cases, this may not be possible or be in the best interest of the child. Your understanding and cooperation in this context are essential (i.e., sometimes we request parents to step outside to the waiting area).
In the case of general anesthesia, you (your child) will be asleep for the entire procedure. You are (your child is) usually sleeping for about 15-30 minutes longer than the time it takes to complete the procedure.
Parents of children must wait in the waiting room during surgery until our nurse calls you. We make every effort to let parents see their child as early as possible after the anesthetic ends. Children will, in general, have to be awake and stable enough to permit their parents to be with them after emergence.
As children are often agitated when they wake up from anesthesia, parents may hear their child cry without seeing them (yet). This regular occurrence is no cause for alarm.
Please be aware that there may be delays during surgery, and patients (parents or others) should clear their schedule of any other appointments or commitments on the date of surgery.
After the surgery, we will review a host of instructions with you and your caregiver. To see some of the aftercare protocol following sedation dentistry at our Mississauga Office, please visit us here:
After Care Following Sleep Dentistry
We want you or your child to have a comfortable visit to our office for sedation dentistry. Knowing what will happen on the day of your sleep dentistry appointment will make you more at ease as our regular protocols will not be surprising. If you would like further information about sedation (sleep) dentistry, please call our office.
- Understanding Dental Cupping on Molars: Causes, Prevention, and Treatment - August 14, 2024
- Bone Preservation: Essential for Strong Dental Implants - August 5, 2024
- Porcelain Veneers from Design to Finish - July 27, 2024
