What To Look for in a Special Needs Dentist
March 8, 2018
At Center for Dental Anesthesia, we want every patient to feel at home and comfortable. That is why we offer special needs dentistry to help patients from all backgrounds get the dental care they require. We have helped patients struggling with Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s, epilepsy, autism, cerebral palsy and numerous other conditions. Here are the qualities of our office that set us apart.
Anesthetic
People with certain medical conditions have a hard time sitting in the dentist’s chair for long periods of time. Fortunately, we can provide dental sedation to make patients feel more relaxed or fall asleep completely during the treatment. However, in the event sedation will not work for a certain patient due to other medications being used, we can also schedule shorter appointments. We can stretch out a treatment plan over the course of several days or weeks.
Knowledge of What To Look For
Individuals with special needs may have greater susceptibility to some dental health problems than other people. As a result, when our special needs dentist examines the oral health of a patient, he knows what conditions have a greater likelihood of being present. For instance, patients with Down Syndrome have a greater chance of developing:
- Malformed teeth
- Gingival hyperplasia
- Problems with the bite
- Overcrowded teeth
- Congenitally missing teeth
- Dental caries
Gingival hyperplasia is a relatively rare oral condition in the general population, but when we know a patient has Down Syndrome, we take great care to look for it. It also helps with treatment to be provided with a list of any medication the patient currently takes or has taken in the recent past.
We Care About All Our Patients
Not all dentists are equipped to help patients with special needs, but at the office of Dr. Lawrence and Kyle Duffy, you will find a caring, compassionate staff dedicated to ensuring everyone gets dental help. Contact us in Orlando, FL and we will schedule a time to see you soon!