Patient Comfort

Our office places a special emphasis on the comfort of your child. Click on any topic below to read more.

• » Office Environment
• » Psychology
• » Sedation
• » Extractions Post-Treatment
• » Space Maintainers

• » Sedation Instructions
• » Fillings and Crowns
• » Lip Biting After Treatment
• » Stomach Aches After Cleanings

Office Environment

Dr. Brandon's office was designed for children and teens in mind. From the seven foot balsa wood surfboard in the waiting room, to the life-sized arcade game by the tooth brushing sinks, kids naturally feel at home in this Hawaiian-themed office. This atmosphere helps children relax and enjoy their dental experience. To compliment this, Dr. Brandon has installed computer screens in the dental rooms to allow children to watch their favorite DVDs during dental treatment or cleanings.

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Psychology

Research has shown that adult dental fears that inhibit patients from seeking treatment are often the result of an unpleasant experience with the dentist as a child. Our goal is not to complete treatment at any costs, but to help your child or teenager become an adult who routinely and comfortably seeks dental care. This often requires extra time with your child, distraction through many of our child friendly amenities, or in some cases the use of appropriate sedatives. It is very important to discuss with Dr. Brandon any bad experiences or fears your child may have in order to provide the best possible care for your child.

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Sedation

Nitrous Oxide

Dr. Brandon offers nitrous oxide sedation (laughing gas) for the slightly anxious child. Nitrous oxide helps a child who is cooperative but worried about various aspects of their appointment. It helps make the injections less noticeable and helps to alleviate anxiety about having instruments placed in the mouth, and with the noises that they make. It is important to realize that nitrous oxide requires a certain amount of cooperation from the child, they are required to have a plastic nose piece placed over their nose and breath through their nose. Nitrous oxide is not effective in children who are too young or too anxious to sit in the chair and have the nose piece placed on their nose.

Nitrous oxide is an extremely safe sedation alternative. When your child is breathing nitrous oxide they are receiving more oxygen than they are getting in room air!

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Post-Treatment of Extractions

Bleeding

Most of the bleeding should have subsided by the time you have left the office. It is important to keep pressure on the extraction area for about 1 hour after the appointment. This can be done with the gauze provided when you left the office. If the site begins to bleed again, have the child bite on wet gauze or a tea bag for 20 minutes.

Swelling

Swelling after an extraction is most likely due to your child biting the area that was anesthetized without realizing it. Place ice bags around the area if it is the day of extraction, and warm compresses the days after. Call to make an appointment to evaluate the severity of the swelling. If the swelling is rapidly progressing call us as soon as possible.

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Space Maintainers

Discomfort After Cementation

Expect some discomfort after a space maintainer is placed. They are similar to braces because they do not allow the teeth to move as much as they did before. The discomfort should resolve in 2-3 days. Children's Motrin and a soft diet during this time will help ease any discomfort.

Came Loose

If the appliance is very loose and can be easily removed from mouth, take appliance out and place in a safe place. If slightly loose, leave in mouth. Call for an appointment to have appliance re-cemented as soon as possible.

Teeth are Coming In

If the adult teeth are starting to erupt where the prematurely lost baby tooth was please make an appointment to have your child evaluated for the removal of the space maintainer.

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Sedation (Pre- and Post-Care Instructions)

Eating Before the Appointment

Your child should have nothing to eat or drink 6 hours before the sedation appointment. This is extremely important to the health and safety of your child.

Eating After the Appointment

Start by giving your child water or apple juice after the appointment when they request it. Feeding your child to quickly, or feeding them heavy foods immediately after sedation will likely result in vomiting.

If your child can tolerate the apple juice, move to soft foods such as yogurt, pudding, etc. Gradually increase to normal foods as they are able to tolerate it.

Sleeping

Your child will likely go home and take a nap after sedation. This is normal. Place them on their side. Do not leave your child unattended, or place anything (such as gauze) in their mouth while they are sleeping.

Activity

It is best that your child rest for the remainder of the day. Watching videos at home is an excellent idea. Your child may resume normal activity the day after their appointment if they feel able. Some children may not feel up to normal play and may seem "hung over" from the medications. Encourage clear liquids to help clear the medication from their system.

Remember, your child is not as awake as they think they are, avoid swimming, biking, vigorous activity for the remainder of the day.

Oral Hygiene

The day of the procedure, do not brush or floss your child teeth. This will allow the gums to begin the healing process. The next morning you can gently brush your child's teeth with water only. You can begin using toothpaste on the second day. During the first few days, tooth brushing may be cause some tenderness. It is, however, very beneficial because clean teeth allow the gums to heal much faster.

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Fillings and Crowns

Pain

It is normal for your child to have some soreness in the area they had treatment done. Children's Tylenol or Motrin should alleviate the pain. If your child is still having difficulties after a day or two, please call the office for a follow up appointment. If the pain is severe, not alleviated by pain medications, or swelling occurs please call as soon as possible to discuss the situation with the doctor.

Swelling

If your child experiences swelling after treatment, it is likely due to lip biting in the anesthetized area. However, if you do not see teeth marks in the area and the swelling is increasing please call the office as soon as possible.

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Lip Biting After Treatment

Often children will bite themselves in the area they were anesthetized without realizing it. The area can become quite swollen and painful. Your child will need to remain on a soft diet until the area heals to avoid re-injuring themselves. Give Children's Motrin/Tylenol as needed for the pain.

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Stomach Aches After Cleanings

During your child's dental cleaning, fluoride was placed on the teeth to help strengthen the enamel. Fluoride is irritating to the stomach if swallowed. If you think your child may have swallowed a small amount of fluoride during their treatment, you can give your child a glass of milk to help neutralize the fluoride.

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