Midazolam proves top choice for pediatric dental procedures

A significant number of these cases will require dental treatment. Due to the anxiety level associated with children and dental procedures, researchers are looking into the effectiveness and post-treatment effects of sedatives used during procedures.

Researchers from The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio, working with a private clinician out of Charleston, South Carolina, recently published a study in the current issue of Anesthesia Progress. The study investigates three different regimens for the use of the most commonly used pediatric sedative, midazolam: oral midazolam alone, nasal midazolam or oral midazolam in combination with other sedative/analgesic medications. The goal was to find a single sedative or a combination of drugs that would reduce both anxiety and uncooperative behaviour during dental procedures.

The researchers studied a total of 650 cases of sedation that took place over 24 months in a hospital-based pediatric dental clinic staffed by pediatric dentistry residents. Success rates were determined by procedure completion, behaviour during sedation, sedation effectiveness and number of teeth treated. Patient demographics were fairly balanced with 333 boys and 317 girls, ranging in age from two to three (125), three to four (161), four to five (125) and six and older (145).