General anaesthetic is a mixture of medications that helps to place a patient in a controlled state of unconsciousness (deep sleep) during surgery.  It places the patient in a deep sleep eliminates a patient’s awareness of what is going on around them, prevent them from moving and means there is no discomfort during the surgical procedure. This can lead to better clinical outcomes and help prevent injury from uncontrolled or undesirable movement. 

At Little Smiles Family Dental, our Dentists may recommend that you or your child’s dental treatment be undertaken under general anaesthesia. All dental surgery that requires General anaesthetic to be administered will take place at an accredited day surgery in a private hospital setting and will be administered by a specialist anaesthetist. Anaesthetists in Australia are among the world’s most highly trained doctors. They have spent many years undergoing specialist training in anaesthesia, pain control, resuscitation and managing medical emergencies.

When do your recommend general anaesthetic for a dental procedure?

Situations in which we may recommend general anaesthetic might include:

• An anxious patient who is unlikely to cope with dental treatment safely & calmly in the chair

• You or your child require extensive dental treatment which is best completed as one appointment

• A complicated dental procedure such as oral surgery, which would be difficult to tolerate while awake

• A child who is very young, has special needs, or may have a limited ability to understand or follow directions, and be safely treated in the dental chair.

The anaesthetist will discuss the benefits and risks of general anaesthesia prior to the procedure. You will also be given some instructions regarding eating and drinking before your procedure and it is important that you adhere to these instructions carefully.

What will the hospital visit look like for my child? 

• When you arrive at the hospital, the nurse will assess your child and ask you some questions.

• The anaesthetist will come and speak to you and examine your child before you move into the operating theatre.

• Usually, one parent/guardian will accompany the child into the operating theatre where your child will be anaesthetised.

• For young children, the anaesthesia will be initially administered as a gas through a mask prior to IV placement.

• After your child has been anaesthetised, you will be escorted to the waiting area for the duration of the procedure.

• After the procedure is complete, your child will wake up in the recovery room.

• You will be called into the recovery room after the procedure to be with your child, where the nursing team will monitor your child and will ensure that he or she continues to recover safely

• Your child may cry upon waking from an anaesthetic – they are waking in an unfamiliar environment and may be feeling some confusion which can be caused by anaesthesia.

• Once your child is settled, the staff will give you instructions and discharge you.

If you would like to discuss the general anaesthetic as an option for your child’s dental treatment, please contact us and our team will be happy to discuss in detail with you, before we recommend general anaesthetic for your child.