Conscious Sedation with Nitrous Oxide to control Stress during Dental Treatment in Patients with Cerebral Palsy: An Experimental Clinical Trial

INTRODUCTION: Individuals with cerebral palsy (CP) often present with oral alterations that impact oral health and require dental treatment. AIM: This study aimed to evaluate the use of conscious sedation with nitrous oxide (N(2)O) to control stress during dental treatment in individuals with CP using as parameters: Venham score (VS), heart rate (HR), and respiratory rate (RR). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 77 CP patients >3 years of age with a mean age of 11.8 (± 6.4) years were evaluated in a rehabilitation center. Stress control was measured at the following time points: T1 (presedation), T2 (induction), T3 (sedated patient), and T4 (end). Student’s t-test, the Chi-squared test, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and the McNemar test were used. The significance level was 5%. RESULTS: Sedation ranged between 10 and 60% N(2)O, with an average of 35.6% (± 10.4). The RR did not vary among the times (p = 0.12). The HR and VS varied significantly between times (p < 0.001), as significantly higher values of HR were observed at T1. CONCLUSION: Conscious sedation with N(2)O during dental care controls stress in CP patients, as verified by a decrease in HR, and does not promote respiratory depression. Higher concentrations of N(2)O are recommended for CP patients with tachycardia. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Sedation modifies behavior during dental procedures, facilitating patient collaboration. How to cite this article: Baeder FM, Silva DF, de Albuquerque ACL, Santos MTBR. Conscious Sedation with Nitrous Oxide to control Stress during Dental Treatment in Patients with Cerebral Palsy: An Experimental Clinical Trial. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2017;10(4):384-390.