Sedation for dental and other procedures

While sedation can improve the patient experience of unpleasant procedures, if performed poorly it has the potential to cause harm. Some authorities believe that patients’ protective reflexes are impaired at any level of sedation, and sedation merges into anaesthesia in a continuum of loss of consciousness. All anaesthetists should understand the definition of ‘conscious sedation’, and be aware of the concepts of ‘deep sedation’ and ‘monitored anaesthesia care’, which are prevalent in the USA. This paper discusses, in particular, dental sedation guidelines and, more generally, safe sedation practice for other procedures in which sedation is given.