Propofol sedation in general dental practice: the first 100 patients.

Experience is presented of the treatment of 100 patients for routine dentistry in general dental practice under propofol (Diprivan) sedation, delivered by continuous infusion. The infusion rates were set manually according to patients' responses. There were no differences in dental treatment or propofol requirements according to gender. Propofol requirements in some cases exceeded the upper limit of the recommended dose ranges and reasons why this may have occurred are discussed. A most useful feature of propofol sedation was the associated rapid recovery, with no patients needing to remain in the surgery for the purposes of recovery. The technique met with patients' approval, as all responses returned indicated a willingness to undergo the same type of sedation in future. Propofol sedation is not appropriate for the single operator/sedationist.