ADA Guidelines:

The Use of Sedation and General Anesthesia by Dentists

Guidelines for the use of Sedation and General Anesthesia by Dentists

Guidelines for Teaching Pain Control and Sedation to Dentists and Dental Students

AAP/AAPD Guidelines:

Guidelines for Monitoring and Management of Pediatric Patients During and After Sedation for Diagnostic and Therapeutic Procedures

Definitions

Methods of Anxiety and Pain Control

analgesia - the diminution or elimination of pain.

local anesthesia - the elimination of sensation, especially pain, in one part of the body by the topical application or regional injection of a drug.

Note: Although the use of local anesthetics is the foundation of pain control in dentistry and has a long record of safety, dentists must be aware of the maximum, safe dosage limits for each patient. Large doses of local anesthetics in themselves may result in central nervous system depression, especially in combination with sedative agents.

minimal sedation - a minimally depressed level of consciousness, produced by a pharmacological method, that retains the patient's ability to independently and continuously maintain an airway and respond normally to tactile stimulation and verbal command. Although cognitive function and coordination may be modestly impaired, ventilatory and cardiovascular functions are unaffected.1

Note: In accord with this particular definition, the drug(s) and/or techniques used should carry a margin of safety wide enough never to render unintended loss of consciousness. Further, patients whose only response is reflex withdrawal from repeated painful stimuli would not be considered to be in a state of minimal sedation.

When the intent is minimal sedation for adults, the appropriate initial dosing of a single enteral drug is no more than the maximum recommended dose (MRD) of a drug that can be prescribed for unmonitored home use.

The use of preoperative sedatives for children (aged 12 and under) except in extraordinary situations must be avoided due to the risk of unobserved respiratory obstruction during transport by untrained individuals.

Children (aged 12 and under) can become moderately sedated despite the intended level of minimal sedation; should this occur, the guidelines for moderate sedation apply.

For children 12 years of age and under, the American Dental Association supports the use of the American Academy of Pediatrics/American Academy of Pediatric Dentists Guidelines for Monitoring and Management of Pediatric Patients During and After Sedation for Diagnostic and Therapeutic Procedures.

Nitrous oxide/oxygen may be used in combination with a single enteral drug in minimal sedation.

Nitrous oxide/oxygen when used in combination with sedative agent(s) may produce minimal, moderate, deep sedation or general anesthesia.

The following definitions apply to administration of minimal sedation:

maximum recommended (MRD) - maximum FDA-recommended dose of a drug, as printed in FDA-approved labeling for unmonitored home use.

incremental dosing - administration of multiple doses of a drug until a desired effect is reached, but not to exceed the maximum recommended dose (MRD).

supplemental dosing - during minimal sedation, supplemental dosing is a single additional dose of the initial dose of the initial drug that may be necessary for prolonged procedures. The supplemental dose should not exceed one-half of the initial dose and should not be administered until the dentist has determined the clinical half-life of the initial dosing has passed. The total aggregate dose must not exceed 1.5x the MRD on the day of treatment.

moderate sedation - a drug-induced depression of consciousness during which patients respond purposefully to verbal commands, either alone or accompanied by light tactile stimulation. No interventions are required to maintain a patent airway, and spontaneous ventilation is adequate. Cardiovascular function is usually maintained. 2

Note: In accord with this particular definition, the drugs and/or techniques used should carry a margin of safety wide enough to render unintended loss of consciousness unlikely. Repeated dosing of an agent before the effects of previous dosing can be fully appreciated may result in a greater alteration of the state of consciousness than is the intent of the dentist. Further, a patient whose only response is reflex withdrawal from a painful stimulus is not considered to be in a state of moderate sedation.

The following definition applies to the administration of moderate or greater sedation:

titration-administration of incremental doses of a drug until a desired effect is reached. Knowledge of each drug’s time of onset, peak response and duration of action is essential to avoid over sedation. Although the concept of titration of a drug to effect is critical for patient safety, when the intent is moderate sedation one must know whether the previous dose has taken full effect before administering an additional drug increment.

deep sedation - a drug-induced depression of consciousness during which patients cannot be easily aroused but respond purposefully following repeated or painful stimulation. The ability to independently maintain ventilatory function may be impaired. Patients may require assistance in maintaining a patent airway, and spontaneous ventilation may be inadequate. Cardiovascular function is usually maintained.²

general anesthesia - a drug-induced loss of consciousness during which patients are not arousable, even by painful stimulation. The ability to independently maintain ventilatory function is often impaired. Patients often require assistance in maintaining a patent airway, and positive pressure ventilation may be required because of depressed spontaneous ventilation or drug-induced depression of neuromuscular function. Cardiovascular function may be impaired.

Because sedation and general anesthesia are a continuum, it is not always possible to predict how an individual patient will respond. Hence, practitioners intending to produce a given level of sedation should be able to diagnose and manage the physiologic consequences (rescue) for patients whose level of sedation becomes deeper than initially intended.²

For all levels of sedation, the practitioner must have the training, skills, drugs and equipment to identify and manage such an occurrence until either assistance arrives (emergency medical service) or the patient returns to the intended level of sedation without airway or cardiovascular complications.