Nitrous oxide and oral premedication

Patients frequently require conscious-sedation to achieve anxiety relief in the dental office. There are specific indications, contraindications, advantages, and disadvantages to each sedation modality. Selection of the appropriate anesthetic technique should be individualized for each patient. This paper reviews two important conscious-sedation modalities: oral premedication and nitrous oxide/oxygen inhalation sedation.Pertinent drugs are reviewed and recommendations are made for their use; current researches are presented and new areas for investigation are suggested.