When necessary, certain patients may be recommended for Dental surgery or “sleep dentistry” as it is sometimes called. This is the practice of performing necessary dental processes while the patient is under anesthesia, “asleep”. This practice is only suggested in certain cases when deemed required in order for a patient to receive their necessary oral procedures in an atmosphere that is calm, safe, and completely comfortable. The factors which may contribute to this recommendation include age, behavior, and the amount of work required, among others.

Our sleep dentistry services take place at the Pediatric Dentistry Center of  K. Hovnanian Children’s Hospital at the Jersey Shore University Medical Center. This location offers a superb clinical environment to ensure the safety and comfort of our patients as our team of experienced pediatric dentists, RNs, LPNs, and board-certified anesthesiologists provide the specialty care that our surgical patients require.

Determining if sleep dentistry is the right choice for your child will rely on a number of factors which your doctor will discuss with you, but the patients we’ve recommended for surgical procedures in the past so tend to fall into one of three patient situations:

1. Younger children require a significant amount of dental work. In many cases, these children aren’t able to remain calm and cooperative for the occasionally extended amount of time that x-rays and other procedures require, and as such, may end up putting themselves at risk for accidental injury while the procedure is taking place.
2. Patients who experience a high level of fear or anxiety in a clinical space. In a manner similar with very young patients, these patients often experience difficulty remaining calm and cooperative through a long procedure, and what’s more is that not addressing their care in a manner considerate of their anxiety may risk increasing their aversion to clinical care and become an obstacle to life-long oral health.
3. Children who have physical or mental special needs. These patients often also experience difficulty with a cooperative stillness or have anxiety in longer clinical environments.

Handling challenging dental issues through surgical, sleep dentistry offers parents and patients a way to ensure their oral health is maintained to the highest level while minimizing stress and anxiety. A lifetime of oral health starts with a comfortable relationship between the patient and our dental experts, so we are happy to do all we can to reduce fear and increase comfort for ALL patients.

Learn more about our dental surgery center.