The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) recognizes nitrous oxide/ oxygen inhalation as a safe and effective technique to reduce anxiety, produce analgesia and enhance effective communication between a patient and healthcare provider.
Objectives:
- aid in treatment of mentally/physically disabled or medically compromised patients
- reduce gagging
- potentials the effect of sedatives
- dental treatment of highly fearful children is carried out successfully with nitrous oxide during the first few sessions
- increases pain threshold reaction
- anxiety of the child is reduced in the following respective sessions
- it’s also useful for treatment of specially abled individuals
Disadvantages
- lack of potency
- dependent largely on psychological reassurance
- interference of the nasal hood with injection to anterior maxillary region
- patient must be able to breathe through the nose
