"Jeff" wrote in message ...
"nick" wrote in message
om...
hello
and I hope someone here will offer opinion on use of general
anaesthesia on an 8 year old healthy boy who requires dental
extraction. he has been referred by our dental practice to the dental
hospital as xrays showed an additional tooth in his upper teeth set
(in his jaw still?) which is halting dental development. Its an
operation that will be 'somewhat traumatic' in words of the consultant
who we saw there. Its not just a tooth pull! He's had a small filling
earlier this year with no anaesthesia and was v. co-operative if a
little tearful at the conclusion.

I would get a second and even third opinion, if you haven't already. You
also want to make sure your son's dentist is either a pediatric dentist or
very familar with development of teeth and such and familar with pediatric
denistry.

So he's been offered local anaesthesia, sedation (laughing gas?) or a
general anaesthetic for the proposed operation in a few weeks time.

We are obviously concerned about the general (although I have read the
available stats and recognise that it is a risk of comlications and no
more), but equally do not want him to experience trauma uneccessarily

With the sedation, he won't remember a thing (you will, of course). One of
the drugs often used is related to valium and causes you not to be able to
remember anything (of course, you remember things both from before the drug
is given and after it wears off).

Any words of wisdom out here? or alternative sources of critical
information?
There seems to be a lot of emotion surrounding anaesthetic practice,
anyone got advice on how to cut through the c**p ;-) ?

This site is the Amer. Acad. of Pediatric Denistry. Hope it is helpful:
http://www.aapd.org/

cheers
nicko


My six year old son had to have dental work that required general
anaesthesia so I know your concern and anxiety. As Nicko said, make
sure that the dentist is either a pediatric dentist or pedodontist. I
found a site that addresses FAQs on children's dental procedures that
helped to calm my nerves, I hope you find it helpful:
www.flash.net/~dkennel

Best of luck,

Dee