Abstract

CONSCIOUS SEDATION IN PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY: A REVIEW

Richa Lodhi, Vaibhav Singh, Mehak Nagpal Sharma, Anuv Hrishi Phukan, Arppit Chopra, Himanshu Thukral* and Prerna Chaudhary

ABSTRACT

Fear and avoidance of dental treatment are considered to be major barriers to oral health. Most of child dental patients can be treated efficiently and with little or no discomfort or fear by the use of adequate local analgesia, modern equipment, careful patient management and good technical skill. However, dental treatment often includes painful procedures that may precipitate fear and anxiety in patients. Also, there is a considerable group of children with special health care needs that pose a problem to the effortless delivery of dental treatment. Methods to manage anxiety and behaviour are therefore required to meet this need. Nitrous oxide –oxygen sedation meets almost all of these requirements and has, therefore, been propagated and used for years in many countries. Inhalation sedation utilizing nitrous oxide- oxygen has been a primary technique in the management of dental fears and. The technique has an extremely high success rate coupled with a very low rate of adverse effects and complications. However, there is a need for effective training in this technique and more acceptance by the dental professionals in our country.

Keywords: Nitrous-oxide sedation, Conscious Sedation, Anxiety, Dental Fear, Moderate Sedation.