General anaesthesia for kids?

Question

I've got 5 kids, none of them have great teeth but my youngest was complaining about toothache the other day and I managed to get an appointment at the clinic this morning.

Anyway, the dentist there said her teeth were in a really bad state, she needs a lot of work done on them - some need fillings or caps, and he wants to extract some as well. He says it would be better for her to go to the hospital and have everything done under general anaesthetic, but I'm really worried about putting her under - she's only 4.

My other kids have handled fillings alright just with injections, but they haven't ever needed as much done as my youngest does.

Has anyone else had their kid put to sleep for dental work? Or should I try to get the work done just with local anaesthetic?

Answer 1

Sounds like you really need to take a look at what your kids are eating and drinking and how often they're brushing their teeth. 4 year olds shouldn't need such extensive dental work.

I don't think at 4 your daughter will be able to handle having all that work done under local anaesthesia, and if she does, she'll probably have a phobia of dentists for the rest of her life. I know it must be scary putting your kid under general anaesthesia, but think about what will be best for her. That way, everything gets done at once and she wont have any memory of it.

Answer 2

I worked in a dental anaesthesia office for over 5 years, and I can tell you now - for a young child for loads of work to be done it is worth it - expensive by worth it. Why? points below:
- your child will not remember anything and all work done in one appointment
- when a patient is asleep, there is no saliva flowing in the mouth, and the tongue is not in the way (relaxed) - that is the BEST environment for a dentist to work in..
- if you took the local anaesthetic route, then you will probably have to do at least 4 to 5 appointments - and she is four, and though you think she will be OK - think of her attention span, this HUGE needle in her mouth - the numbness after (many children, especially the young one - almost always bite their cheeks or lip)
- We have had children as young as four - though we used conscious sedation - which basically means the child is breathing on its own. The dentist I worked for, has been practicing for over 20 years, and there has not once been a problem with sedating anyone - adult or child - slight nausea afterwords depending on the patient, but nothing to do with us.
- in the operatory you will have the dentist, a registered nurse and the dental assistant - and they are fast!!

If I knew about this type of dentistry when my son was four - and he needed a lot of work - then I would have done this route, for the other way - put fear of dentists in him now, and though it is slowly going away - it has left its mark.

So, I think you should - but that is my opinion

see below a great site that helps answer a lot of your questions..

Good luck!

Answer 3

I had 4 teeth extracted when I was about 8 under general anaesthetic (due to overcrowding, not because they were in poor condition) and it wasn't very pleasant. Saying that, it would have been a lot nastier under local! I don't think a 4 year old would be able to sit still while she had such extensive work done and if it wasn't safe the dentist wouldn't have recommended it.

Answer 4

I had really rotten teeth when I was little and I had to get 8 of them pulled out because they were so bad. I was only about 7 I think, and I had it done at the hospital. I don't remember it now, it wasn't that bad. I had to have quite a lot of fillings done a couple of years later when I was a bit older and they wouldn't let me go into the hospital and it sucked. I'd much rather have had it done in the hospital because it was horrible and scary and it hurt. And it made me dead scared of dentists for ages too.

Answer 5

General anesthesia always carries risks - why don't you speak to her pediatrician and the anesthetist? I think all that work under local would be a bad idea - but I don't understand why so much work needs to be done? My youngest had 2 cavities in his top 2 front teeth when he was about 4-5 - they left them alone b/c they were going to fall out anyway - maybe b/c he didn't have pain. But he has had 2 "pulpotomy's" - root canals on baby molars and he cried both times and so did I, so it may be better to put yours under general. My oldest had to have surgery at 4 - it's scary, but we were allowed to be there until he fell asleep for the surgery and I was allowed in when he woke up - he actually woke up too early and was incoherent and inconsolable - the nurses had to come get me. Speak to the pediatrician and the anesthetist - good luck!

Answer 6

I dont think youn should worry too much at this stage about why the work needs doing, you can deal with that after.
I have literally just returned from the dentist taking out a tooth from my 8 years old....with local and he cried so much with the tugging. My daughter under went many ops for her teeth at a young age and although general is worrying , it is so much better for them not to realise the work is going on. It allows the dentist to work better and they will take good care :)

Answer 7

my nephew recently had to have 7 teeth out under a general we was worried sick about it he his 4 i went with my sister to the hospital and i could not believe it he was actually under for 30 seconds they just flip them out his was not bothered at all they was very little blood the blood lasted for about 1 hour and the gums had closed and healed with in 2 days i would let my kids have it done because they don't remember anything and they don't any fear for next time they need to take a trip to the dentist

Answer 8

I worked with a dentist for a few years who did this kind of work and trust me, if your daughter needs this much work, it would be better to put her to sleep and have her wake up with all her dental work done. I know it sounds scary, but trust me, it's for her own good.

Answer 9

i dont have a kid but i knew a friend who had undergone general anaesthesia when he was two... i think the dentist has to put ur kid to sleep coz the operation might involve a lot of work and we all know that kids can't rest for a long period of time... just to make the work more safe and efficient.... :-)

Answer 10

I was put to sleep at 7 years old for dental work. Everything came out fine.