Benzodiazepines are widely used clinically because of their antihypertensive, analgesic, anaesthetic, hypnotic properties and, in the psychiatric and neurological fields, for their anticonvulsant, anxiolytic and antidepressant effects. In dentistry, they are used to alleviate pain caused by surgical procedures including pulp extirpation, temporomandibular arthrosis and glossodynia, and to reduce oral symptoms in masked depression, denture neurosis and phobias. Their side effects are minimal but those with half-lives upto 30 hours can induce dependency.
Analgesics: Bromazepam and etizolam are particularly useful as analgesics, especially when combined with a non-steroidal (or antipyretic) analgesic.
Pre-anaesthetics: Bromazepam, cloxazolam and prazepam are used as premedicants. They are administered 1-3 h before local or general anaesthetics.
Denture adaptation: Diazepam, bromazepam and etizolam assist the patient to adjust to new denture.
Hypotensives: Flutoprazepam, bromazepam, etizolam and prazepam are suitable for use in patients receiving antihypertensive therapy accompanied with mental invasion.
Dental phobia: Cloxazolam and bromazepam are particulary effective and are usually given in combination with clomipramine, an antideprssant.
The very low drug tariff under the social security system poses an economical problem for the doctor. It is also necessary for the doctor to establish contacts with particular wholesale drug stores because many of these compounds are regulated by the Psychotropic Drug Control Act. Also, many pharmacists may only stock one or two types of benzodiazepine.
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