What are the Benefits of general anesthesia in pediatric dentistry?

It is often stated that children are not little people.  And that could not be a truer statement. Children view life differently than adults do. When providing dental care to children Dr. Fuller often recommended general anesthesia for a child to provide the best dental care. 

The following are reasons for general anesthesia : age, complexity of treatment, anxiety,  child temperament, fear or previous poor dental experience.  When a child is encountered with one of the following Dr. Fuller then discusses the benefits of general anesthesia. 

A simple definition of general anesthesia is as follows.  It is a medically induced loss of consciousness.  During the process a child is monitored with several different types of monitors to establish a safe level of sedation. 

When discussing the sedation the benefits are discussed.  G.A. offeres an enviromment where accurate and safe care can be provided.  Children who are not able to relax and follow instructions often do not create a safe environment for either themselves or the dental office staff.  They often become emotional and do not allow proper care to be delivered. 

Children who are not sedated can often struggle and thus not allow the proper care to be delivered.  They often remember there poor experience and have a long term poor outlook on dental care.



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