Sedation
Sheaffer Yinger, DDS
Resident
Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
The Ohio State University/Nationwide Children's Hospital
Columbus, Ohio, United States
Ehsan N. Azadani, DDS, MS
Assistant professor
The Ohio State University
Ohio State University
Columbus, Ohio, United States
Daniel Claman, DDS
Associate Program Director
Nationwide Children's Hospital/The Ohio State Univeristy
Columbus, Ohio, United States
Erin Gross, DDS, PhD, MS
Nationwide Children's Hospital/The Ohio State University
Kim Hammersmith, DDS, MPH, MS
Program Director
The Ohio State University
Columbus, Ohio, United States
Jennifer Lee, DMD
Nationwide Children's Hospital/The Ohio State University
Beau D. Meyer, DDS, MPH
Assistant Professor
The Ohio State University
Columbus, Ohio, United States
Jin Peng, MD, MS, PhD
Nationwide Children's Hospital
Janice Townsend, DDS, MS
Nationwide Children's Hospital/The Ohio State University
Kim Hammersmith, DDS, MPH, MS
Program Director
The Ohio State University
Columbus, Ohio, United States
Daniel Claman, DDS
Associate Program Director
Nationwide Children's Hospital/The Ohio State Univeristy
Columbus, Ohio, United States
Purpose: Describe triazolam in pediatric dental sedations in terms of safety and efficacy for permanent first molar extractions.
Methods: A retrospective chart review from 2011-2022 evaluated demographic, procedural, and behavioral data for patients 8 years and older undergoing extraction of a permanent first molar. The exposure group were those that received triazolam for treatment. Exposure group behavior scores were compared to a control group who received the same treatment without sedation. Treatment vital signs for patients receiving triazolam were analyzed.
Results: Chi-square test was performed to examine whether the distribution of behavior scores differed significantly between the triazolam and control groups. A statistically significant difference was found, with the control group demonstrating higher (better) behavior scores (P-value = .0065). The physiologic data shows that the occurrence of oxygen saturation below 94% was 7.35%, pulse rate dropping below 60 beats per minute (bpm) was 1.47% and exceeding 180 bpm was 1.47%. No sedation instances required emergency intervention or reversal/rescue agents.
Conclusions: Children selected for sedation must meet physiologic and temperament criteria and are anticipated to have either poor behavior or experience without a pharmacological adjunct. As a result, the exposure group is likely predisposed for poorer behavior scores. Despite this, the data shows that approximately 80% of patients in the exposure group had successful treatment based on both procedure completion and a positive behavior score (Frankl 3+). The physiologic data and lack of a need for emergency intervention demonstrates triazolam as a safe sedative choice for the appropriate sedation candidate.