2024 Volume 39 Issue 3 Pages 156-161
Objective：The Nippon Dental University, Tama Oral Rehabilitation Clinic treats approximately 10,000 patients per year, many of whom are older and have multiple comorbidities in addition to underlying diseases. Approximately 60% of first-time patients are 75 years of age or older, and 17% of patients have dementia. As dementia becomes more severe, the degree of independence in oral hygiene management and the ability to manage dentures decrease. In addition, some behavioral adjustment is necessary when refusing to engage in dental treatment. At our clinic, we provide dental treatment to older patients with dementia by intravenous sedation as a drug behavior adjustment. In this study, we conducted a retrospective survey of 20 older patients with dementia who underwent dental treatment under intravenous sedation between April 2017 and December 2023 with the aim of clarifying an overview of the patients and the actual conditions of the treatment.
Methods：Based on medical and anesthesia records, we investigated patient information, treatment details and treatment time, intravenous sedation drugs used, and the amount of intravenous sedation used.
Results and Discussion：Of the dental procedures performed under intravenous sedation, 90% were tooth extractions, and 80% involved extraction of two or more teeth. All scheduled procedures were performed under intravenous sedation, and there were no intraoperative or postoperative incidents. In addition, many of the patients were able to continue to receive denture-making, preservation treatment, periodontal treatment, etc., indicating the usefulness of dental treatment under intravenous sedation.
