DENTAL TREATMENT OF FEARFUL CHILDREN USING NITROUS-OXIDE .4. ANXIETY AFTER 2 YEARS

Nitrous oxide is considered to be most effective for treating moderate ly fearful children. Recent research shows even highly anxious childre n become less fearful, virtually immediately when it is used. The auth ors were interested in learning more about the permanency of its effec t. The answers to the questions pertaining to permanency are important as to whether drug-based supporting treatment strategies are necessar y, or whether behavior modification techniques are adequate. For the c omparison with behavioral management, the age chosen was the youngest age possible that would permit communication with the dentist. Fifty-f ive highly fearful children, between the ages of six and eleven years and who were enrolled in normal primary education were selected. The s ubjects were placed randomly in one of two groups, one to be treated w ith behavioral management only (control) and the other with behavioral management and nitrous oxide sedation (experimental group). The measu ring instrument described by Venham and modified for this study was us ed to conduct the evaluation. Conclusions are significantly positive f or using nitrous oxide.