An inhalation sedation patient profile at a specialist paediatric dentistry unit: a retrospective survey

To report on the characteristics, treatment, attendance, scheduling and duration of treatment sessions of child patients attending a specialist paediatric dental hospital service for inhalation sedation.

A retrospective study was carried out of all 88 patient case notes of inhalation sedation recipients between September 2004 and March 2005. The recorded data included: child's age, gender and level of social deprivation together with the details of the treatment that was undertaken, the time between the first and current/last sedation appointment and the total number of appointments attended, cancelled and missed.

Twenty of the subjects were excluded giving a sample of 68; 51% male, mean age at start of treatment 9.8 years (range 4 to 15) and mean age at end of treatment 10.6 years (range 4 to 16). Of these children 35 (51%) were socially deprived. In respect to treatment, 29% had extractions, 22% endodontics, 81% restorations and 25% fissure sealants. In respect to the number of quadrants that had teeth requiring treatment; 26.5% had one, 25% two, 22% three and 26.5% four. The mean number of treatment sessions required was 4.4 with a mean duration between first and last appointments of 9.5 months (range 0.25 051). There were 27% of appointments cancelled, while 12% of patients failed to keep their appointments.

Although over half of the children treated under inhalation sedation came from socially deprived areas, attendance was reasonable and the majority required less than 5 appointments for treatment completion. The treatment provided was variable not only in respect to the procedures but also to the number of quadrants treated.