The Efficacy of Dexmedetomidine Versus Ketamine for Sedation in Pediatric Dental Procedures: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Based on limited and clinically heterogeneous evidence, both dexmedetomidine and ketamine appear to be viable options for sedation in pediatric dental settings, though no firm superiority conclusion can be drawn. Further randomized controlled trials with larger sample sizes and standardized sedation protocols are recommended to strengthen these findings and inform practice guidelines.
Authors
- Shahad N. Abudawood (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0005-6589-3430)
- Narmin Helal (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3194-7358)
- Heba Jafar Sabbagh (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9788-0379)
- AbdulRahman Alasmri
- Ali Alhijab
Institutions
- King Abdulaziz University (SA)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Children
- Published
- 2026-04-17
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3390/children13040558
- Primary Topic
- Anesthesia and Sedative Agents
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00