Objectives: To report on both the use and dosage of propofol, as a new intravenous (IV) conscious sedative agent, for anxious children referred to a specialist paediatric dentistry service.
Setting: Paediatric Dentistry Unit, Glasgow Dental Hospital and School.
Sample: Thirty-four children, 25 females and 9 males, mean age 12 years 10 months, with a mean weight of 54.6 kg (range 30-110 kg).
Methods: Report from 34 patients receiving intravenous sedation for the first time in respect of weight dose and amount of treatment completed.
Results: Thirty-two children successfully accepted operative dental care on their first visit, they received a mean total dose of 146.25 mg of propofol (range 10 mg to 356 mg); in relation to body weight, the mean was 2.5 mg/kg (range 0.2-5.4 mg/kg). The treatment that they received included fissure sealants, amalgam and adhesive restorations, root canal therapy and single and multiple extractions. Their sedation and recovery were uneventful.
Conclusions: Sub-anaesthetic doses of propofol used for IV conscious sedation infusion facilitated operative dental treatment in anxious children.