GENERAL ANESTHESIA
Our goal is to give your child the most positive dental experience possible. There are times when, together, Dr. Westman or Dr. Shaw and families, decide to use general anesthesia to keep children safe and comfortable during dental procedures. General anesthesia may be recommended if your child needs extensive or complicated procedures that require multiple, lengthy office appointments or if your child has significant dental anxiety. There are also children whose existing medical concerns are best treated in a hospital setting. A general anesthetic usually allows for all of your child's required treatment to be completed in one visit. Dr. Westman and Dr. Shaw provide dental treatment under general anesthesia at both Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre (RVH) in Barrie and Stevenson Memorial Hospital (SMH) in Alliston. An anesthesiologist — a doctor who specializes in anesthesia — gives your child medications to make him or her sleep soundly during dental procedures. General anesthesia makes your child’s whole body go to sleep. Children feel no pain during the procedure, nor have any memory of it.
RISKS
Most healthy people do not have complications with general anesthesia. The most common complication or side effect is nausea and vomiting after the procedure. Other complications are rare and are more likely to occur in people with medical problems. These rare but serious complications include mental confusion, lung infection, coma or death. Death is an extremely rare occurrence with modern anesthesia.
FORMS AND OTHER DOCUMENTS
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