Flunitrazepam versus placebo premedication for anxiety control in general dental practice

Our objective was to examine the performance of sublingual administration of the short- to intermediate-acting benzodiazepine flunitrazepam on patients with dental anxiety. The study was designed as a randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial with nearly identical dental interventions performed on two separate occasions in 24 adult patients. Flunitrazepam (1 mg) significantly reduced anxiety and was well tolerated. With few exceptions, both the patients and the dentist clearly favored the session with flunitrazepam. Most patients also preferred the remaining part of the day when they had been premedicated with flunitrazepam. They were apparently not particularly troubled by being somewhat drowsy. Dizziness was not reported as a problem. Flunitrazepam appears to be an effective, safe, and recommendable alternative for premedication of anxious dental patients.