Dental sedation and reaction time in children

  • Research type

    Research Study

  • Full title

    The effect of inhalation sedation for dental treatment on the choice reaction time of children.

  • IRAS ID

    213481

  • Contact name

    David Baldwin

  • Contact email

    david.baldwin@gstt.nhs.uk

  • Sponsor organisation

    Guy's & St Thomas' Foundation NHS Trust

  • Duration of Study in the UK

    1 years, 1 months, 31 days

  • Research summary

    We are proposing a purely observational study to measure a child's reaction time before and after dental sedation.

    We would like to study children that are planned for dental treatment using inhalation sedation (a nasal mask to deliver a mixture of oxygen and nitrous oxide). This type of sedation is well-established within paediatric dentistry, with a quick recovery for patients, often under 10 minutes.

    The setting will be the Paediatric Dental Department at St Thomas' Hospital, were this type of dental sedation is carried out on a daily basis for children.

    We would like to know whether this type of sedation affects the reaction time of the child. We will measure reaction time using the MOART system (the child presses a button when a green light flashes) before treatment begins, and immediately after the patient is discharged by the operating dentist. There will be no comparison group. The child's dental treatment will not be affected or changed in any way.

  • REC name

    Wales REC 7

  • REC reference

    17/WA/0150

  • Date of REC Opinion

    10 May 2017

  • REC opinion

    Favourable Opinion