SERVICES & SEDATION

SERVICES & SEDATION

  • Tooth Cleaning and other treatments such as Fluoride Treatment
  • Examinations for infants and children of all ages
  • Digital X-rays
  • Dental Sealants
  • Dental Trauma and Other Emergency Dental Care
  • Crowns, Fillings, Root Canals, and Extractions (Restorative Care)
  • Fillings and Crowns that are tooth shade matching
  • Space Maintainers (Spacers)
  • “Laughing Gas” (Nitrous Oxide)
  • Sedation and General Anesthesia When Needed
  • Care for Athletes Such as Mouthpieces or Mouthguards
Sedation Options
Nitrous Oxide (Laughing Gas)
Nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas, is most often used for children who are mildly or moderately anxious or nervous. It eases their fears so that they can relax and receive treatment comfortably and safely. Nitrous oxide is administered by placing a small mask over your child’s nose. Your child will be asked to breathe through his or her nose and not through the mouth. As the gas begins to work, the child becomes calm, although he or she is still awake and can talk with the dentist. When the gas is turned off, the effects of sedation wear off almost immediately. As the child gets older and becomes more comfortable with the dentist, nitrous oxide may not be needed.

Nitrous oxide is always delivered mixed with oxygen. To prevent overdose, nitrous oxide machines are designed to stop the flow of nitrous oxide if the oxygen concentration drops below 30 percent.

When the treatment has been completed, the nitrous oxide is turned off and pure oxygen is delivered for 5 to 10 minutes to help flush the child’s body of the gas. The effects of nitrous oxide should disappear as oxygen is breathed.

Oral/Conscious Sedation

Oral sedation dentistry for your child’s dental anxiety is simple. We will provide you with a liquid medication that he or she can take that he or she can take once you arrive at our office. Your child will probably be drowsy after taking the pill, but he or she will be able to respond. Afterward, he or she might not even remember very much about the visit! We can use oral sedation to calm your child’s dental fears while we perform fillings, extractions, and crowns.

General Anesthesia

If your child requires a deeper sedation due to extreme dental fear or extensive and difficult dental treatment, Dr. Jones has hospital privileges at Baptist Medical Center and Arkansas Children’s Hospital

Emergencies

If your child has a dental emergency that can’t wait, just call us at the office (501) 812-3109. If the emergency occurs after hours, such as swelling in the face or a tooth that has been knocked out, call our office and the doctor will return your call soon after. Although we keep certain hours, we are always at the ready if your child needs us.

Facial Swelling

If you notice your child’s face is swollen (usually happening on one side), this could be very serious. Call our office immediately (501) 812-3109. If the swelling continues to grow such as nearing the eye or has breathing trouble or any other symptoms, take your child to the emergency room immediately or call 911. Call us as soon as you can after that.

Toothache

If your child has a toothache that is causing pain and discomfort from a cavity for instance, here’s what you can do until you can make an appointment. Clean your child’s tooth gently with a toothbrush (soft if you have one) and gently floss the area to remove any other food that may be stuck there and aggravating it. Use a rinse made of salt and warm water, mixed thoroughly. While ointments like Orajel may seem like the thing to use, you should actually avoid this because pain can actually worsen and so can the damage. If the pain doesn’t go away with the brushing and rinsing, use a children’s version of acetaminophen or ibuprofen, like Tylenol or Motrin. Continue this regimen of home care until an appointment can be made for your child to be seen.

Dr. Jones sees emergencies the same day and will be accommodating with your schedule.

Knocked Out Baby Teeth

The procedure for a baby tooth that has been knocked out is different. DO NOT try to put it back in the socket as this can cause damage to the permanent tooth to come. Make sure that the baby tooth wasn’t swallowed and use warm water to rinse your child’s mouth. Put something soft like a paper towel in your child’s mouth and have him or her bite down on it. Call us and we will get your child in for an appointment asap to have a look and make sure that the mouth is healing correctly.

Broken Chipped Tooth

If your child should suffer a broken or chipped tooth, have your child rinse his or her mouth with warm water. Call us right away and if you have the broken piece, bring it with you and we can get you in for an appointment as soon as possible.

Cut or Bitten Lip, Tongue or Cheek

If your child happens to bit his or her tongue, lip, or cheek severely enough for bleeding to occur, make sure you clean the bitten area well. Gently clean with water. Some children have a tendency to bite their lips, tongue or cheek, especially if they had their mouth numbed for treatment. Try and make sure that your child doesn’t do this. They could hurt themselves and not know it due to residual numbness. If it is a lip injury that requires stitches, get your child to an emergency room or like facility. For small, intraoral cuts, call us and we will fit you in the same day

Knocked Out Permanent

If an adult or permanent tooth is knocked out, act quickly at home and we can be of help here. Get the tooth as quickly as possible, rinse under water, and put the tooth back in the socket as soon as you can. Place something soft in your child’s mouth over the tooth and instruct your child to bite down on it to hold it in socket. If this is not possible, then put the tooth in a Save-A-Tooth or cold milk. Placing the tooth in water or dry can damage the root and replacement may not be possible. Call us (501) 812-3109 and get here as quickly as possible. Time is of the essence, and if you act quickly enough, we have a better chance at putting it back in the socket and saving it.
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