Study (2022): Use of weighted blankets during dental treatments
Patient behavior at the dentist can be managed with pharmacological treatment to minimize anxiety and uncooperative behavior. This resistant behavior can complicate or prevent the dental examination. One method used is sedation with various medications to reduce pain sensitivity. With moderate sedation, the effectiveness of behavior management is less predictable than with general anesthesia. Due to the unpredictability of dental treatment with moderate sedation, protective stabilization (PS) is often used for behavior guidance during sedation visits. Protective stabilization is an advanced behavior management technique. The general use and acceptance of protective stabilization among surveyed certified pediatric dentists is over 50 percent. Studies in the USA and Brazil show that in treatments with moderate sedation, 51 percent and 70 percent of patients, respectively, use protective stabilization.
The aim of this study was to determine whether the availability and use of weighted blankets is associated with an overall lower use of protective stabilization during moderate sedations. As part of a retrospective study of moderate sedation treatments at the University of Minnesota's pediatric dental clinic, patterns of protective stabilization before and after the use of weighted blankets were examined. Additional study objectives included evaluating patient- and treatment-related factors associated with potential changes in the use of restraints.
In a retrospective study, sedation protocols of pediatric patients were evaluated after weighted blankets weighing about 2.5 kg were introduced in the dental clinic. Clinical outcomes were compared with the time before weighted blankets were available.
The use of protective stabilization decreased from 78.7% to 32.8% after the use of weighted blankets during sedation visits. Older age and the use of weighted blankets reduced the use of stabilization measures. Body mass index, gender, treatment amount, and sedation regimen had no effect on the occurrence of PS. The number of treated teeth did not differ statistically between cases treated with PS and those treated without restraint. In children treated with PS but without weighted blankets, heart rate changes during treatment were statistically higher (20.26±23.17) than in children treated without immobilization (8.12±15.15).
It can therefore be concluded that older age and the use of weighted blankets were associated with a reduction in the occurrence of protective stabilization during moderate sedation in dental visits at the university pediatric dental clinic. The use of a weighted blanket should be considered as an alternative to protective stabilization in sedation protocols for clinical practice.
Source:
McBeain, M., Malone, S., & Jones, R. S. (2022). Weighted Blanket Use as an Alternative to Protective Stabilization During Moderate Sedation. Pediatric dentistry, 44(5), 340–344.