Pediatric Anesthesia

If your child has trouble visiting the dentist because of severe anxiety or special needs, or if they require major dental work, dental anesthesia may be the right choice.

If your child has trouble visiting the dentist because of severe anxiety or Special Needs, or if they require major surgery or procedure, it can sometimes be necessary for that child to be administered sedation or anesthesia. Dentist anesthesiologists have the necessary experience and qualifications to treat and assist children safely throughout the process.

Like regular anesthesiologists, dentist anesthesiologists are trained to work with children and infants. They can also deliver the proper care to children in the dentist’s chair or operating room.

Call (314) 862-7844

Schedule Appointment

Excellent

The Dental Anesthesia Center: Sedation and Sleep Dentistry4.9

Based on 166 reviews

See all reviews

review us on

Angelica C.

Great place. Dr Thoms was wonderful, and checked in later in the day to see how I was doing—despite being about to catch a flight, he wanted to make sure I was alright. The nurses were lovely and very accommodating. Thanks for making my wisdom teeth removal under anesthesia so “painless”!

Carrie R.

My dental appointment was absolutely amazing! Dr. Behl and Laina performed a thorough examination and cleaning! I couldn’t have asked for a better experience!

Response from the owner:Thank you for your kind review! We appreciate your feedback and are glad you had a positive experience.

Ann R.

I highly recommend the Dental Anesthesia Center. The best dental care, knowledgeable, efficient, state of the art facilities, friendly, painless, AWESOME! Laina is my hygienist and she is very thorough!! Dr Hoffmann has always done my dental work and he is truly amazing, I never feel a thing!

Response from the owner:Ann, Thank you so much for your kind review! I'm glad to hear that you have had such a pleasant experience! The Dental Anesthesia Center

Lisa H.

Dr. Hoffman and his staff are very good at making the experience for my special needs son, as easy and non stressful as possible for him. It's not easy handling him sometimes but Dr. Hoffman has compassion and grace towards my son and takes his time and doesn't rush thru. I appreciate him and his staff as always and highly recommend this office especially when you need that extra care with dental needs.

Response from the owner:Thank you for your kind words and recommendation. We appreciate your trust in our team and are grateful to be part of providing a positive experience for families in our care.

Kimberly C.

We had a very positive experience with Dental Anesthesia Center. Dr. Thoms and his entire staff were kind, patient, and understanding throughout the entire process. My child has special needs, and as an anxious mom, I truly appreciated how compassionate and reassuring everyone was. We were referred to Dr. Thoms by our child’s dentist, and they took the time to explain everything while genuinely wanting to do what was best for my son. Communication was excellent throughout the procedure, which helped ease a lot of my anxiety. The office staff, including the ladies who handled the payment process, were just as kind and helpful, and I never felt pressured when discussing treatment or costs. The cost was more than we anticipated and definitely an unexpected expense, but my child’s needs always come first. Most importantly, my son seemed very comfortable afterward, did not appear to be in pain, and was eating an hour after the procedure. I don’t give perfect scores lightly, but I would absolutely recommend Dr. Thoms and his team to other families, especially parents of children with special needs.

Response from the owner:Thank you for your thoughtful review and kind words. We’re grateful for the opportunity to provide care and appreciate you trusting our team. Wishing you and your family all the best!

Anesthesia & Children

The American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry updated the current guidelines for dentists and oral surgeons in 2019. These guidelines help dentists and oral surgeons with a procedural map to follow when providing children with general anesthesia or deep sedation.

For starters, there must always be two people in the room, each trained to provide full life support in an emergency. One of the people in the room will be the dentist or oral surgeon who will perform the actual procedure.

The other person in the room is known as an independent observer.

Understanding The Different Levels of Sedation

It is essential to know that there are different levels of sedation. The dentist will ultimately decide the type of sedation necessary for the patient or procedure, though understanding each level will help you, as a parent, feel more in control.

• Mild Sedation – Mild sedation is when the child remains conscious throughout the procedure. It is the lightest level of sedation that we offer and typically involves a mild sedative such as Nitrous Oxide, otherwise known as laughing gas or a Valium-like medication. Nitrous Oxide is the most popular choice, though some children don’t like the feeling. Dentists don’t need to go through additional training to administer mild sedation.

• Moderate Sedation – Moderate sedation, or sedation dentistry, makes the child sleepier during the procedure, though they are not entirely asleep. We highly recommend this for older children, who are less fearful.

• Deep Sedation – Deep sedation, otherwise known as sleep dentistry, is a method of sedation in which the child is completely asleep throughout the procedure. There will be no memory of the procedure. During your child’s procedure, an independent observer will always be in the room to monitor the child’s heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, etc. This method is entirely pain-free and excellent for more extended operations or procedures.

Making Your First Appointment

Whether your child struggles with severe anxiety or special needs, or if they need a serious dental operation, including surgery, St. Louis pediatric anesthesia can help. At The Dental Anesthesia Center in St. Louis, we have been practicing sleep and sedation dentistry for the past 30 years. We know how important the safety and comfort of your child are during their procedure, and we aim to provide nothing less than that!