Pediatric Sedation and Anesthesia for the Oral Surgeon

Even simple oral and maxillofacial surgical procedures can become challenging when the child patient has a high degree of fear and anxiety. This article reviews differences in anatomy and physiology between the adult and pediatric patient, pre-anesthetic assessment, fasting guidelines, and choices of sedation routes, and discusses equipment options for the management of pediatric anesthesia. After reflection on these topics and based on training and experience, oral and maxillofacial surgeons can decide the ages of patients, medical comorbidities, and techniques with which they are comfortable in performing surgery in their offices in a safe and effective manner.