Airway Assessment for Intravenous Sedation in Dentistry

Abstract

The ability to manage an airway is an essential skill for the safe provision of intravenous conscious sedation. A systematic airway assessment will allow identification of risk factors pre-operatively, flagging potential airway problems and aiding case selection. If difficulties arise, the practitioner will be able to act efficiently having anticipated the risk factors. Importantly, cases unsuitable for primary care can be readily identified and referred appropriately. In the interest of patient safety, this article aims to present methods of airway assessment that can be incorporated into the pre-sedation assessment. CPD/Clinical Relevance: This article discusses airway assessment methods relevant to intravenous conscious sedation to promote patient safety.