Okay, my son is 3 years old and needs to get his cavities fixed. In order to do that they have to put a mask on him and let him sleep while they do it. Then they put an IV in and start working on his teeth. I am very nervous about it and almost don’t want to do it. What’s your guy’s thoughts on it?
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You need to. My neighbors didn’t fix their daughter’s teeth and it lead to her big teeth coming in rotten and needing to be pulled and replaced at 10-12 with pegged implants. She’s mid 20s and has had so much trouble and pain where they did that when she was little.
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They gave my son a drink that made him sleepy, no IV required. Laughing gas was also an option.
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Why is that even a question? Getting your child’s oral health taken care of should not even be up for debate. 
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Id be scared too, I’ve seen so many toddlers pass away from going under anesthesia, I’ve also seen dentists and dental assistants lie about toddler patients passing away. If it were me no never ever.
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It sounds like an OR situation in a surgery center type set up? Def do it, get the problems fixed before they turn worse
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My daughter was 4 when she was put under for oral surgery.
They removed a broken molar and put a spacer in, filled 3 cavities and took 4 already loose teeth out.
They gave her medication to help her relax, put the mask on (this was the worst part - she tried to fight it) and then did her IV and surgery.
The surgery took about an hour. She was like a tiny drunk person, demanding snacks, when she woke up.
She was groggy and cranky the evening of the surgery, but the next day she was right back to her goofy self and loved living on popsicle, ice cream and mashed potatoes for a few days.
I would suggest having it done because if you don’t, the cavities that he has now can affect his adult teeth, causing even more problems down the road.
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How does a child that young already have a cavity
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My grandchild is having hers done soon and she will be put to sleep
. It will all be fine . They will do this at the hospital.
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My daughter had to have this done when she was 5 for some dental work, i was nervous about it but she was fine. I knew that I had to deal with me being nervous because she was the one that was uncomfortable and in pain so her getting it done was more important than me being scared/nervous. I was also more mad at myself as a parent than anything, it was my responsibility to ensure her teeth were taken care of and I didn’t do that well enough which resulted in her needing work done. From one parent to all other parents please never slack on the oral care at home, make it routine, make it normal. In most cases it’s lack of oral care at home that leads to our kids needing these things done when they’re so little
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I’m more concerned on why a 3 year old needs dental surgery
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Well the other option is letting them live in pain and risking infections that can kill them. Do you want to set your child up in a positive way for life or negatively?
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They know what they are doing. Teeth are important. Do you want your toddler dealing with rotten teeth that will need to be extracted?
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Do it now before it gets worse. Your baby will be fine.
Ok so my son was born with cleft lip and palate. He’s been having surgeries since he was 3 months old. He’s now 7 and having his final surgery in December( a 4 hour surgery) . I understand ur thoughts on this but it only takes a few minutes to work on cavities and it’s done.
They give a little something to take their mind off things and put the little mask on (they get to pick the smell. It can be anything from chocolate to watermelon) . Just relax. It will be just fine.
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My son just had to go under for dental work and I was nervous but honestly it was the best thing we could have done. He didn’t suffer in pain Or remember any of it and is perfectly fine. He did have a bloody nose for a little bc of the thing they put in the nose for air but that was it.
My daughter needed dental work done last year (she was 3) because her inhalers eroded her teeth. They wanted to do it inhouse, but I wouldn’t agree. So I got a referral to a dentist that did those types of procedures in a hospital
I would say let it be done and then when it is take batter care of the child’s teeth so this doesn’t happen again
My son had almost the same thing done at 4 he woke up and ripped the IV out and it was awful but still to this day he is 15 now he will tell you he never had dental surgery…
My daughter had this done and though it was scary I’m so glad she was under for it!
My daughter had cavities fillled with the gas mask. She was able to follow commands the whole time. Did not complain of any pain, and I think she liked being a little high because now she asks them if she can wear the mask again every time we go back🤣. Her dentist was great and explained to us in a child friendly way what she was doing every step of the way.
How does such a young child already have cavities, plural ? I can only guess (I know for sure) how this is possible, don’t be surprised if you get a visit from children’s aid in your immediate future
My son had to have a tooth pulled at 3 and he got Novocain.
As a mom whose kids both had hypo plastic enamel on their baby teeth…despite brushing and flossing and they never had juice, bottles, none of that…they both had to have a few crowns on primary teeth and one had to have 2 extracted…neither was put to sleep or had laughing gas…just numbed with lidocaine and patient amazing pediatric dentists and they were fine!!
My daughter had to have dental work under anesthesia several times. It is scary for us parents, but everything went fine each time. You don’t want a child that young traumatized at the dentist, it’s best if they are under if the work needing to be done is extensive.
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Mine was 5 and had that done and he was put to sleep, same for my oldest when he was 8 or 9. If they were awake, it would have been an issue cuz both can’t sit still at all even when put in gas, they were both fine and the dentist had me have them examined by their Dr before to be sure it would be OK.
I would definitely get a 2nd opinion. Not because I don’t trust the first but dentists will look at the options differently. My son had a tooth pulled and several cavities filled around the same age. He was not put under. The dentist took his time making him feel comfortable before even scheduling the fillings. At 16 he doesn’t really remember it other than wearing the cool sunglasses and going toy shopping after.
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It’ll be okay he will be in good hands and it’ll be a lot less stress
Mine was under gas but never had an IV
We did sedated mris for both of our kids. Sometimes you have to do uncomfortable things for good reasons.
My son had that done, it went fine but he was mad when he woke up lol.
When my son was 3 and had to have a cavity fixed and he was awake through the whole thing.
They iv once asleep or did for my kids.
I’d check on other options, one of my boys was sedated with a liquid he had to drink, but the other had to be put to sleep. We tried the liquid, but it work
My son had weak enamel on his baby teeth. He had to be put under for dental work when he was 2 or 3. The doctors (anesthesiologists) that do this are HIGHLY trained, I’m talking years and years and years of schooling. Statisticslly, a child is safer at their office than in a vehicle on the way to or from that appointment. They wake up cranky but they come out of that very shortly. I did not believe the amount of work my son needed so before I scheduled it, I took him to my dentist and they checked him for free visually and said they agreed with the pediatric dentist so that is when I went ahead with the appointment. Children at that age should not be awake for extensive dental work or multiple fillings bc it is traumatic to them. Your dentist wants your child to have a positive experience going to the dentist and this is the way to be sure they have a good relationship with any dentist they see for years to come.
Laughing gas worked for my son so we didn’t have to the route of knocking him out
I would be scared too. My daughter has had dental work done but they gave her local anestesia