Objectives: Sedation is commonly utilized for individuals otherwise unable to receive dental treatment, such as those with disabilities, medically complex conditions, and dentophobics. The aim was to characterize the profiles of patients receiving various types of sedation and assess the corresponding success rates.
Method and materials: This was a 5-year records-based retrospective study. Data regarding the indication for sedation, medical history, sedation type, and treatments performed were recorded.
Results: In total, 103 patients underwent 389 treatment sessions under sedation; 42.7% of the patients were disabled. The most commonly administered sedation was moderate sedation, (49.4%), followed by deep (36.8%) and inhaled sedation (13.9%). Successful treatment results were achieved in 96.1% of sessions, with no adverse effects noted during recovery. The high success rates were independent of patient age, sex, and sedation type. There was a positive association between the indication for sedation and the type of sedation. The medically complex patients and the dentophobic patients received mainly moderate sedation (85.3% and 58.2%, respectively), whereas the disabled patients received deep sedation (51.2%). In total, 94% of patients were returning (re-visiting) patients. A statistically significant association was found between the type of sedation administered and the success rate during the first and last sessions (P < .001). The success rate at the first session may be predictive of the success in subsequent sessions.
Conclusion: A significant positive correlation was found between patient characteristics and the chosen sedation type leading to a high success rate across the various sedation modalities.
Keywords: dentophobia, disabled patients, medically complex patients, oral care, sedation
