Some parents of children with special needs may experience anxiety or have questions about their child's dental care and experience. Here, our Smile Town Burnaby dentists walk you through our process and experience working with children with a whole range of special needs.
Although regular dental care may be low on the list of priorities for parents raising children with special needs, maintaining the oral health of children is incredibly important.
People living with cognitive or developmental disabilities are prone to developing dental cavities or gum disease, which can negatively impact their overall health as well as make their daily lives more difficult.
Our Team of Pediatric Dentists Can Help
At Smile Town Burnaby, our team of pediatric dentists are trained in effective communication and care techniques for patients across a broad spectrum of needs, including:
- ADD & ADHD
- Down Syndrome
- Cerebral Palsy
- Seizure Disorders
- Autism
- Hearing & Vision Impairment
- Developmental and Learning Disabilities
- Craniofacial Conditions (such as a cleft palate)
The team at Smile Town Burnaby can help introduce consistent dental care and oral health into your child's life without causing undue stress to them or you.
Dental Care for Children with Special Needs
We strive to go above and beyond to provide and dental care experience both based in kindness and attentiveness and targeted at your and your child's level of comfort.
At Smile Town Burnaby, our first appointment with your child will be dedicated to meeting your child and making them comfortable with our space and our staff without the stress of treatment following it. We will be happy to answer any of your questions and concerns during this time as well.
At following appointments for treatment, our dentists deploy calming techniques, engaging play, and quiet persuasion as ways of keeping your child happy and calm.
Dental Sedation Options for Your Child With Special Needs
Some children have emotional of physical barriers to continued oral health which means that the above techniques are insufficient to overcoming their discomfort. For any children who need more than our usual methods in order to receive calm and comfortable dental treatment, we offer a range of safe and effective sedation and anaesthesia options. If required, we will discuss the best sedation options for your child with you well ahead of time.
Our pediatric dentists have extensive training and experience in the administration of sedation medications in order to provide your child with the quality of dental care they deserve. At Smile Town Burnaby, we offer the following sedation options:
Nitrous Oxide: Also known as "laughing gas," nitrous oxide is a combination of nitrous oxide and oxygen. This sedation option calms nervous or anxious patients, but leaves natural reflexes uninhibited and does not make a patient unconscious.
Oral Conscious Sedation: Oral Conscious Sedation refers to a wide selection of medications. Before application, our dentists will take the time to discuss the best option among these for your child. These medications allow the patient to become relaxed and drowsy enough to drift off a little, often being unable to remember the procedure at all.
General Anesthesia: General Anesthesia renders a patient unconscious and is recommended for patients who have limited comprehension, physical handicaps, behavioural challenges, or who are highly sensitive to pain.