Sevoflurane, a relatively new inhalational anesthetic, has non-pungent odor and is less reluctant to pediatric patients. The purpose of this study is to examine the feasibility of sevoflurane in inhalational sedation instead of the nitrous oxide for short and simple dental treatments in pediatric patients.

Fifteen healthy children, whose dental treatment was abandoned due to their little or no cooperation, were selected with their caregivers' written permission. Deep sedation was induced and maintained with oxygen and 1-5% sevoflufane via specially designed nasal mask. Blood pressure, heart rate, oxygen saturation, and electrocardiogram were monitored at 3-min interval. A dental anesthesiologist, who was independent of dental treatments, was wholly responsible for the sedation procedure. Post-sedation complications and operator's and caregiver's acceptability of this type of inhalational sedation were also investigated.

The systolic and diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, and oxygen saturation was significantly depressed during the deep sedation using sevoflurane (P < 0.05). No severe post-sedation complications were found, however, bradycardia was reported in 3 patients. Almost all the operators and caregivers answered that they would adapt this sedation procedure again if possible.

In this study, inhalational deep sedation using sevoflurane for dental treatments was found to be very useful. Furthermore, the application of sevoflurane to conscious sedation for pediatric and adult dental patients should be added.