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A Calm, Safe, and Positive Dental Experience for Every Child
If your child experiences dental anxiety, has special needs, or requires extensive dental treatment, sedation dentistry can transform what might otherwise be a stressful experience into a calm, comfortable, and even positive one.At Children's Dentistry of Redding, Dr. Aaron offers three carefully selected sedation options — each matched to the specific needs, age, and health profile of your child.Looking for a pediatric dentist in Redding who offers sedation? Call us to discuss whether sedation is right for your child.
Dental anxiety is one of the most common reasons parents seek sedation for their children — but it is far from the only one. Children may benefit from sedation dentistry in several situations:
Dental anxiety or dental phobia. Some children experience genuine fear about dental visits, even when they have had no negative experiences. This fear is real and deserves a compassionate, clinical response.
Very young children. Toddlers and young children often cannot understand or cooperate with dental procedures due to their developmental stage.
Extensive treatment needs. When a child requires multiple procedures, sedation allows more work to be completed in fewer visits.
Special healthcare needs. Children with conditions that affect their ability to tolerate dental care often benefit from sedation.
Severe gag reflex. Sedation helps reduce this response and allows treatment to proceed safely.
Children's Dentistry of Redding offers a full spectrum of sedation options — from the mildest to the most comprehensive — so that every child can receive the level of support they need.
What it is:
Nitrous oxide, commonly known as laughing gas, is the most widely used and mildest form of sedation in pediatric dentistry. It is a colorless, odorless gas mixed with oxygen and inhaled through a small, comfortable mask placed over the nose.
How it works:
Within two to three minutes of breathing the gas, most children feel a pleasant, relaxed, slightly euphoric sensation. Some describe feeling warm, tingly, or lighthearted — hence the name "laughing gas." Importantly, your child remains fully awake, conscious, and able to communicate throughout the entire procedure. They can hear Dr. Aaron's instructions and respond to questions.
Who it is best for:
Nitrous oxide is ideal for children with mild to moderate anxiety, children who are nervous about a specific procedure (such as their first filling), or children who simply need to take the edge off their nervousness. It is safe for children of virtually all ages and is the most commonly recommended first step for anxious pediatric dental patients.
Recovery:
One of the greatest advantages of nitrous oxide is its rapid recovery. Within five minutes of removing the mask and breathing room air, the effects wear off completely. There is no grogginess, no lingering sedation, and no restrictions on activity afterward. Your child can return to school, sports, or normal activities immediately after the appointment.
Safety:
Nitrous oxide has an excellent safety record in pediatric dentistry and has been used for over a century. It is non-allergenic, does not affect the cardiovascular or respiratory systems at the doses used in dentistry, and is one of the safest pharmacological agents available for children.
What it is:
Oral sedation with Versed — the brand name for midazolam — provides a deeper level of relaxation than nitrous oxide alone. Midazolam is a benzodiazepine medication that is given orally (by mouth) approximately to minutes before the procedure. It is one of the most commonly used and extensively studied sedation agents in pediatric dentistry.
How it works:
After taking the medication, your child will become noticeably drowsy and relaxed. They will remain conscious and breathing independently throughout the procedure, but they will be in a state of deep relaxation that significantly reduces anxiety and discomfort. Versed also has a mild amnesic effect — most children have little or no memory of the procedure afterward, which is an important benefit for children who havehad previous negative dental experiences or who are building a long-term relationship with dental care.
Who it is best for:
Oral sedation with Versed is appropriate for children with moderate to significant dental anxiety, children who did not respond adequately to nitrous oxide alone, children undergoing longer or more complex procedures, and children who have had previous traumatic dental experiences. It is also commonly used in combination with nitrous oxide for enhanced effect.
What parents need to know:
Because Versed causes drowsiness that persists for several hours after the appointment, a parent or guardian must accompany the child to the appointment and arrange transportation home. Your child should not eat or drink for a specified period before the appointment (Dr. Aaron's team will provide specific pre appointment instructions). Your child will need to rest at home for the remainder of the day after the procedure.
Safety:
Midazolam has been used in pediatric dentistry for decades and has an extensive safety record. Dr. Aaron follows the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry's guidelines for minimal and moderate sedation, which include pre-procedure health screening, appropriate dosing based on the child's weight and health status, continuous monitoring of vital signs throughout the procedure, and post-procedure observation before discharge.
General anesthesia (GA) is the deepest level of sedation, in which the child is completely unconscious and feels nothing during the procedure. GA is administered and monitored by a board-certified anesthesiologist in a fully equipped surgical facility — not in the dental chair.
How it works:
The anesthesiologist administers the anesthetic agents intravenously (through an IV) or by inhalation, and your child is continuously monitored throughout the procedure by the anesthesiology team. Dr. Aaron performs the dental treatment while the anesthesiologist manages the child's airway and vital signs. The child wakes up in a recovery area with no memory of the procedure.
Who it is best for:
General anesthesia is reserved for children who genuinely cannot receive adequate dental care through other means. This includes children who require extensive dental treatment — such as multiple extractions, full-mouth rehabilitation, or complex restorations that would require many long appointments — and for whom completing this work under GA in a single visit is safer and more humane than multiple traumatic in-office visits. It is also the appropriate choice for children with significant special healthcare needs who cannot cooperate with in-office treatment regardless of the sedation level used,and for very young children (typically under age ) with severe early childhood caries who require comprehensive treatment.
What parents need to know:
GA requires a pre-operative medical evaluation to confirm your child is healthy enough for anesthesia. Strict fasting guidelines must be followed before the procedure. The procedure takes place at a surgical facility rather than our dental office. Recovery from GA takes longer than from other sedation options — your child will be monitored in the recovery area until they are fully awake and stable, and they will need to rest at home for the remainder of the day. Most children feel completely normal by the following morning.
Safety:
General anesthesia is a serious medical procedure, and Dr. Aaron recommends it only when it is genuinely the safest and most appropriate option for a specific child. When performed by a board-certified anesthesiologist in a properly equipped facility, GA has an excellent safety record. Dr. Aaron will discuss the risks, benefits, and alternatives with you in detail during your child's consultation before any decision is made.
| Nitrous Oxide | Oral Sedation (Versed) | General Anesthesia | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level of sedation | Mild — child is awake and relaxed | Moderate — child is drowsy but conscious | Deep — child is fully unconscious |
| How it is given | Inhaled through a nose mask | Taken by mouth 30–45 min before | IV or inhalation at surgical facility |
| Child remains awake? | Yes | Yes (drowsy) | No |
| Memory of procedure | Yes | Usually little or none | None |
| Recovery time | 5 minutes | Several hours | Several hours; monitored recovery |
| Can return to school same day? | Usually yes | No | No |
| Best for | Mild anxiety; routine procedures | Moderate–significant anxiety; longer procedures | Extensive treatment; special needs; very young children |
| Location | Our Redding office | Our Redding office | Surgical facility |
This is the question every parentasks,and it deserves adirect, honestanswer. Yes —sedation dentistry is safe for children whenadministered byatrainedand experiencedpediatric dentist following established protocols.
Dr. Aaron has completed specialized training in pediatric sedationand follows theguidelines of the Americn Acaademy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) for all sedationprocedures. Before recommendingany sedation option, Dr. Aaron conducts athoroughreview of your child's medical history, current medications,allergies,and overall healthstatus. During every sedation procedure, your child's vital signs — including heart rate,oxygen saturation,and blood pressure —are continuously monitored.No sedation procedure is without risk,and Dr. Aaron will discuss those risks honestly withyou during your consultation. Wht we caan tell you is that the risk of untreted dentaaldisease — pain, infection,and the psychological impact of traumatic dental experiences —is also real,and for many children, sedation is the most responsible pth to the caare theyneed.
Before theappointment:
Dr. Aaron's team will provide detailed pre-appointmentinstructions specific to the type of sedation your child will receive. These typically includefasting guidelines (no food or drink for a specified period before theappointment),instructions about medications,nd whbt toaaring on the day of the procedure. Pleasefollow these instructions carefully — theyare important for your child's safety.
During theappointment:
For nitrous oxideand oral sedation, the procedure takes place inour comfortable Redding dental office. Dr. Aaronand our team will monitor your childcontinuously throughout theappointment. For general anesthesia, the procedure takesplacetaa surgical facility withnaanesthesiology team present.
After theappointment:
Recovery vbariesy sedation type. After nitrous oxide, your childcan typically return to normal activities within minutes. After oral sedation with Versed,your child will need to restat home for the remainder of the dyaand should not return toschool or participate in sports or other activities. After general anesthesia, your child will bemonitored in the recoverybareaefore being discharged,and will needafull day of resttahome. Dr. Aaron's team will provide specific post-procedure instructions and will bevaailable toanswer any questions.
If you think your child mightbenefit from sedation dentistry, the first step is aconsultationwith Dr. Aaron. During this appointment, we will review your child's medical history, discusstheir specific needs and concerns,and recommend the sedation option that is safestndamostappropriate for them.
400 Hartnell Avenue, Redding, CA 96002
(530) 222-2473
Monday – Friday, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Looking for apediatric dentist in Redding who off ers sedation dentistry? Call us todytaa(530) 222-247 3 or visit our office on Hartnell Avenue. We serve families throughout Redding,Shasta Lake, Anderson, Cottonwood, and Palo Cedro, CA.
