Restraints for Children in Dental Care

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I was taking my son to the pediatric dentist for the first time. As I was going through the paperwork, they wanted me to check a box that said I agreed to restraints for my child if they were necessary during treatment. I got up and left right then. Why in the world would a dentist need to restrain a child?

Amanda

Dear Amanda,

There are different types of restraints. Above is one important type of restraint that I think is imperative for every children’s dentist to use. These are mouth props and they are designed to keep the child’s mouth open during treatment. I had a colleague in dental school who didn’t use one and the child bit down in the middle of her treatment causing the drill to go completely through her tooth and into her gums. This was completely preventable if they had been using a mouth prop. That is a lesson I never forgot.

Another type of restraint is a pediatric papoose. This is used to hold a child in place who is not cooperating. It doesn’t hurt them. In fact, it feels a little bit like getting a hug. However, you are likely asking when would that ever be necessary? In most cases, it’s not. A good pediatric dentist is almost always able to keep a child calm. However, sometimes a child is in such a panic that they are inconsolable. This most often happens when there is a dental emergency and the child is already frightened and in pain.

The problem is that when they have a true dental emergency it is imperative that they get the care they need. People still die from untreated tooth infections. In my experience, putting them in a papoose almost immediately calms them down and allows them to get the treatment that they so desperately need. If they are regularly uncooperative, you may want to look into a sedation dentist.

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