Pediatric Anesthesia Dental Care At BDS
If your child needs extensive dental treatment, has special needs, or has extreme dental anxiety, Brookline Dental Specialists offers our youngest patients pediatric anesthesia dental care. We find that pediatric anesthesia dental care is a good option specifically for children who require oral surgery or other complicated dental work, children with heart conditions, children with severe autistic spectrum disorder, and young children who may otherwise have trouble sitting still in a dental chair or experience severe anxiety about visiting the dentist. While this type of sedation is administered in a hospital, it can ensure your child gets the dental care they need in a safe and comfortable environment.
Our pediatric dental specialist, Dr. Mary Ghattas, is a licensed pediatric dental specialist with hospital privileges at the Franciscan Children’s Hospital in Brighton, MA. She has many years of experience treating our pediatric dental patients both in our Brookline office and in the hospital. Her extensive experience helps her uniquely understand the concerns and anxieties of both the children who might benefit from anesthesia dental care and their parents.
Children who need pediatric anesthesia to receive dental treatment have traveled to Boston from all over Massachusetts to see Dr. Ghattas. She is a member of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, the American Dental Association, and the Massachusetts Dental Society. A graduate of the Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, she continued her pediatric dental education with hospital training at the Tufts Medical Center and the Franciscan Hospital for Children, where she treats our pediatric dental patients today.
Pediatric anesthetic dental care is very safe for children. Children who need anesthesia dental care in a hospital are given general anesthesia, making their whole body go to sleep during dental treatment. They feel no pain during treatment and wake up with no memories of the treatment afterward.
Following treatment, children are cared for by the recovery room nursing staff who monitor vital signs and ensure there are no complications from the anesthesia. Generally, children will be able to go home just a few hours after treatment.
Once home, they may feel some discomfort, depending on the treatment, but this discomfort can be treated with over-the-counter medications. Children may feel more tired the day after receiving anesthesia, and it is advisable that children stay home from school and limit their activities until they are feeling more alert, and the effects of the anesthesia have completely worn off.
If Dr. Ghattas determines that your child would benefit from pediatric anesthesia dental care, BDS’s treatment coordinator will work with you individually to provide comprehensive pre- and post-treatments instructions, coordinate appointments, and ensure all of your questions and concerns are addressed. Going to a hospital for your child’s dental care can feel daunting, but we are with you every step of the way to ensure you and your child are fully informed, comfortable, and confident in the knowledge that your child is receiving the best possible dental care.
Our pediatric anesthesia dental care option is another way BDS ensures that we are providing our youngest patients with the highest quality dental care if they can’t easily visit our office for treatment. When your child comes to Dr. Ghattas for dental treatment, you can be sure your little one is in experienced and caring hands! For more information about BDS’s pediatric anesthesia dental option or to schedule a consultation, please contact our office!
