ABSTRACT
Background: Pain, fear, and anxiety have long been associated with pediatric dentistry. A child's cooperation with a dental.procedure.usually requires various behavioral management strategies conveyed by the entire dental team. The use of sedatives in dental clinics for providing analgesia and anxiolysis allows the patient to respond appropriately to verbal commands and light tactile stimulation., thus making dental treatment more patient friendly and effective. Aim: The aim of this study was to compare the safety and efficacy of dexmedetomidine versus midazolam for the management of pediatric patients in the dental clinic. Materials and Methods: This systematic review was prepared according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Six articles were selected for this systematic review. Of them, only in four articles, homogeneous data were available which were subjected to meta-analysis. Results: When compared with midazolam, premedication with dexmedetomidine resulted in much lower incidence of emergence delirium (odds ratio = 0.07, 95% confidence interval: 0.01–0.54, P = 0.01). No significant difference was observed with respect to satisfactory behavior of the child, successful parental separation, and satisfactory mask acceptance following sedation. Conclusion: Both dexmedetomidine and midazolam are equally effective for the management of pediatric patients in the dental clinic. In addition, dexmedetomidine premedication is associated with lower incidence of emergence delirium and has a better margin of safety.