Many children today, due to normal anxiety and fear, need a special procedure that will safegaurd their welfare when it comes to treatment of dental disease in the dental office.  This includes minimizing physical discomfort, controlling anxiety and fear, minimizing psycholgical trauma, maximizing the potential for amnesia, controlling behavior and movement, and allowing for satisfactory completion of dental procedures.  This procedure is called oral conscious sedation. 

To enable Dr. Noreen Richter to treat apprehensive children it is often necessary to administer oral sedative medactions prior to performing dental procedures.  These sedative drugs minimally depress the level of the child's consciousness but allow the child to independently and continously maintain their breathing and circulation.  The procedure allows the child to respond appropriately to verbal commands and physical stimulation. 

Oral conscious sedation is used in conjunction with nitrous oxide/oxygen analgesia and local anesthesia.  The child is monitored continually during the sedation procedure and is protected by physical immobilization to assure the greatest margin of safety and comfort and the highest quality of dental treatment. 

Typically Dr. Richter will only perform this procedure on children between the ages of 5-14.  If you have any questions regarding oral pediatric sedation please contact our office  at 403-329-8180.