Safety, Efficacy, and Clinical Outcomes of a Combined Sedation Protocol in Pediatric Dental Procedures: A Two-Year Retrospective Study

• Jamal Abu Dina

  Department of Anesthesia and Intensive Care Unit, Misurata Medical Center, Misurata, Libya , Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Misurata University, Misurata, Libya

  Author

• Farij Traina

  Department of Anesthesia and Intensive Care Unit, Misurata Medical Center, Misurata, Libya , Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Misurata University, Misurata, Libya

  Author

• Ghadi Abolamdi

  Pedodontics Department, Al-Kamal Private Dental Hospital, Misurata, Libya

  Author

• Sumeia Salem

  Pedodontics Department, Al-Kamal Private Dental Hospital, Misurata, Libya

  Author

• Wala Abdalla

  Pedodontics Department, Al-Kamal Private Dental Hospital, Misurata, Libya

  Author

• Kamal Sepsi

  Al-Kamal Private Dental Hospital, Misurata, Libya

  Author

Pediatric dental procedures often present significant challenges, particularly in young and medically compromised patients requiring behavioral management and extensive dental treatment. Sedation techniques are widely used to facilitate safe and effective dental care in pediatric populations. This study aimed to evaluate the safety, efficacy, and clinical outcomes of a combined sedation protocol in pediatric dental treatment. A retrospective study was conducted over two years, including 577 pediatric patients aged 2–14 years treated at a single center in Libya. The sedation protocol consisted of ketamine, midazolam, propofol, morphine, tranexamic acid, and dexamethasone. Dental procedures performed under sedation included pulpotomy, pulpectomy, root canal treatment, tooth extraction, glass ionomer restorations, stainless steel crowns, and zirconia crowns. The protocol demonstrated a high success rate exceeding 98%, with minimal complications. Vomiting was the most commonly reported adverse event, occurring in approximately 2% of cases, while recovery time ranged between 30 and 45 minutes. No serious adverse events, such as respiratory depression or hemodynamic instability, were observed during the study period. These findings suggest that the combined sedation approach provides a safe, effective, and clinically reliable option for pediatric dental procedures, particularly in medically compromised children, including patients with autism spectrum disorder, and in resource-limited settings.

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