Trends of conscious sedation in the Department of Pediatric Dentistry at the Dankook University Dental Hospital for 11 Years.

Background: Anxiety and fear in children's dental care are major impediments to successful dental care. High-quality dental treatment can be achieved using various behavioral control methods; however, conscious sedation using drugs can be used if behavioral control is difficult, owing to excessive fear and anxiety. This study aimed to examine the trends in conscious sedation implemented in pediatric dentistry at the Dankook University Dental Hospital over the past 11 years.

Methods: This study included 6,438 cases of dental treatment under conscious sedation conducted over 11 years between January 2011 and December 2021 in the Department of Pediatric Dentistry at Dankook University Dental Hospital.

Results: Over the past 11 years, the number of dental treatments under sedation has increased. In the case of inhalation sedation using nitrous oxide, the rate of increase was approximately twice every year, and the use of midazolam gradually decreased. The average age of children who underwent sedation was 5.11 years, and the rate of sedation treatment in children aged <4 years tended to decrease, while that of children aged >5 years tended to increase. This is related to the trend of changes in drugs used. In a sex-based survey, sedation treatment rate was higher in males than that in females.

Conclusion: Appropriate selection of sedatives can reduce the frequency of general anesthesia and minimize complications through efficient and safe dental treatments. Trend analysis of sedation by year will help provide guidelines for the appropriate selection of sedation for dental treatment of children and patients with disability.