Transforming Smiles with IV Sedation: Shaurya’s Inspiring Journey to Dental Health
Table of Contents
Childhood Smiles specializes in caring for children with diverse needs and unique stories. This story shares the dental care journey of Sree Shaurya, our little patient (3.5 years old), a Special Child with Developmental Delay and severe Early Childhood Caries, which was causing him significant pain and affecting his daily life.
Dr. Debarchhana Jena and her team at Childhood Smiles demonstrated their compassion and expertise by employing behavioural techniques to address Shaurya’s fears and provided necessary dental care under IV sedation to bring his smile back. The relief and joy in Shaurya’s parents’ eyes as they saw their child freed from pain and enjoying meals once more can not be written in words.
IV sedation is a valuable treatment modality in pediatric dentistry, helping anxious or developmentally delayed children during lengthy dental treatments. It makes kids feel calm and cooperative, allowing for more effective treatment in a single session and improving their overall dental experience and health. It turns what might be a stressful experience into a smooth and comfortable one, which is beneficial for their oral health and overall well-being.
Overview
Name: Sree Shaurya
Gender: Male
Age: 3.5 Years
Any Medical problem: Special Child with Developmental Delay
Treatment: Rehabilitation of Early Childhood Caries Affected Teeth
Doctor: Dr. Debarchhana Jena
Case Introduction
Pediatric dentistry is a challenging but rewarding field that deals with the dental care of children. Every day brings new and unique challenges, but the smiles of our young patients
make it all worthwhile. At Childhood Smiles, we have the privilege of meeting many wonderful children, and today we’d like to share the heartwarming story of one special 3.5-year-old named Sree Shaurya.
When Shaurya first came to our clinic at the age of three, he, like many other children, was understandably anxious and fearful during his initial dental appointment. Additionally, his developmental delay posed some challenges in terms of his ability to fully cooperate.
Chief Complaint
The child was experiencing pain, a distressing sensation that he found challenging to communicate because of a delay in his speech development. This inability to articulate his discomfort not only left the child in a state of unease but also presented a significant source of concern for his parents. They noticed his refusal to eat, a worrisome sign of his discomfort, and brushing his teeth had evolved into a substantial challenge, adding to the complexity of their daily routine.
Diagnosis / Medical Assessment
Following an initial examination that included a comprehensive checkup and radiographic assessments, the child’s dental condition was thoroughly evaluated. The results revealed a rather advanced stage of Early Childhood Caries, a severe dental problem that had affected multiple teeth in the young patient’s mouth. This diagnosis indicated a critical and progressive deterioration of the child’s dental health, necessitating immediate attention and intervention.
Treatment
Dr. Debarchhana Jena, our chief pediatric dentist, quickly recognized the child’s fear and apprehension. Given her expertise in pediatric dental care and special care dentistry, Dr. Jena and her team tailored their approach to cater to the child’s unique needs, employing behavior shaping and modification techniques.
They provided audiovisual distractions (by playing his favorite TV show) and dim light effects to ease the child’s anxiety, creating a comfortable and inviting space. Offering the young patient positive assurance throughout the process, the preliminary dental checkup, including radiographs, was successfully carried out.
Dr. Debarchhana discussed the urgency of treatment for Shaurya and its implications for his special health condition with their parents. Following a comprehensive counseling session, the parents opted to proceed with the treatment in a single session under IV sedation.
The treatment was executed with remarkable success, bringing relief to the child who had been grappling with pain and discomfort. Shaurya received multiple root canal treatments for his baby teeth, followed by dental fillings and crowns. They also used a preventive treatment modality (fluoride varnish application) to address the caries risk and improve his oral health comprehensively.
Why Did We Suggest The Treatment Under IV Sedation?
Suggesting IV (Intravenous) sedation for the oral care of a special needs child can offer several benefits:
1. Reduced Anxiety and Fear: IV sedation can help alleviate these feelings, creating a more comfortable and relaxed experience.
2. Improved Cooperation: Children with special needs often have difficulty cooperating during dental procedures due to sensory sensitivities or other challenges. IV sedation can promote better cooperation, making it easier for the dentist to perform necessary treatments.
3. Pain Management: IV sedation ensures that the child does not experience pain during the dental procedure.
4. Faster Treatment: Dental treatments can be time-consuming when a child is uncooperative. IV sedation can streamline the process, allowing the dentist to complete treatments more efficiently.
5. Comprehensive Care: With IV sedation, pediatirc dentists can perform a range of treatments in a single session, addressing various dental issues in one go, which can be particularly important in this case as the child may struggle with multiple appointments.
IV sedation for child dental care at Childhood Smiles is administered by trained professionals in a controlled and safe environment, ensuring the child’s well-being throughout the procedure.
After Care
The parents were also educated on the vital aspects of maintaining good oral hygiene practices for their child. The parents were thoughtfully guided to comprehend the significance of their child’s milk teeth and the importance of maintaining excellent oral hygiene and providing a nutritious diet to promote healthy teeth.
Follow-up appointments were scheduled, and Dr. Debarchanna’s team constantly followed up with the parents to monitor the recovery process.
They were encouraged to limit sugary foods and drinks, as well as to promote habits that would keep their child’s teeth clean and strong.
Final Thought / Take Away
The parents often undervalue the importance of milk teeth, and the milk teeth problems are mostly ignored. As a pediatric dental care clinic, we are responsible for making the parents aware of it and saving the child from avoidable dental issues.
Our team lived the same in this case and took the time to explain that milk teeth serve as placeholders for the permanent teeth that will eventually follow. They stressed the essential role these temporary teeth play in proper speech development, chewing and the alignment of the adult teeth. Moreover, the significance of preserving these primary teeth until their natural shedding was emphasized, as their early loss can lead to issues with spacing and alignment in the future.
Modern treatment modalities like Conscious Sedation empower pediatric dentists to treat multiple dental issues in one go, even in cases of non-cooperative behavior of the child.
Why consider Childhood Smiles for your child's oral care?
There are several reasons to consider the paediatric dental care with us for your child:
Qualified professionals: Our pediatric dentist and orthodontists are highly trained and experienced in working with children. They have the knowledge and expertise to design a customized and tailor made treatment plan that meets your child’s unique needs. Dr Debarchhana Jena who is our chief pediatric dentist is certified for taking care of oral health needs of children with special health conditions.
Individualized approach: We take a personalized approach to cater oral care, tailoring our treatment plans to each individual child. This ensures that your child receives the right level of support and guidance to achieve their goals.
Positive and encouraging environment: We create a positive and supportive environment for your child. Our therapists/doctors/ nurses/office staff are patient, compassionate, and skilled at working with children with special health care needs who may be experiencing anxiety or other challenges.
Comprehensive oral care for all your child’s needs: Childhood Smiles is an exclusive paediatric oral care centre in Bangalore. We offer a complete range of treatments that your child would need to maintain an excellent oral health and overall well-being. Our team of doctors/dentists are experienced in handling complex cases of oral problems in children with several medical conditions and difficulties.
Sensory Adapted Dental Clinic Model: Childhood smiles is designed with a concept of sensory adaptation. It is specially designed to take care of the anxiety and difficulty your little one can face during a normal dental visit. From calm colourful hand painted walls to the sensory toys, audio visual distraction, dim lighting, sensory surfaces, theme based operatories every single aspect at the centre fulfils the need of a sensory adapted Dental Clinic Model.
Availability of Laughing Gas and Other Sedation Facility: Being an exclusive centre for pediatric dental care ,Childhood smiles is well equipped to handle all types of dental rehabilitation cases. Whether there is a need for laughing gas, oral sedation, IV sedation or facilities for general anaesthesia our pediatric dental team, pediatric anesthesiologist team and equipment facility is well prepared at all times.