Use of inhalational and intravenous sedation in dentistry

Having gained knowledge of the advantages of inhalational and intravenous sedation many dental practitioners use these techniques to supplement local anaesthesia for dental procedures. Inhalational sedation is commonly carried out with nitrous oxide and oxygen while isoflurane in oxygen has also been tried out. Intravenous sedation is commonly carried out with midazolam or diazepam given as a single titrated dose to an end point which does not result in anaesthesia. When sedation with benzodiazepines is carried out, the specific antagonist, flumazenil should always be available for use in emergencies such as accidental oversedation, iatrogenic overdose or paradoxical reactions. Patient controlled sedation with midazolam, the modern technique of intravenous sedation, is comparable to anaesthetist controlled sedation and patients may be administered increments of one milligram at one minute intervals. Computer controlled sedation has been carried out with propofol. Mortality following sedation is low in the United Kingdom, partly due to the strict guidelines of the General Dental Council in the United Kingdom.