Out-patients attending for removal of at least one lower third molar were randomly allocated to treatment with
temazepam elixir (n = 7) or intravenous
midazolam (n = 8), as well as local
analgesia. Patients were tested prior to
drug administration and at the end of surgery. Both drugs increased heart rate and
midazolam also decreased diastolic blood pressure. The two drugs caused significant, equal increases in ratings of sedation, but the reduction of anxiety was significant only for
midazolam. There was significant
amnesia for material presented after
drug administration, as well as for dental events and this was significantly greater for
midazolam. The effects of these drugs in dental patients were compared with those in normal volunteers treated in an identical manner, but without
oral surgery. The drugs had similar significant cardiovascular and amnesic effects in the volunteers and the same effects on mood ratings, even though volunteers and patients differed in their pretreatment levels of anxiety and discontent. The dentist's ratings of the sedation and operating conditions were excellent in both cases. Thus
temazepam elixir provided a useful
sedative for
oral surgery, avoiding the complications of
intravenous administration. However, for equivalent levels of sedation,
midazolam had greater
anxiolytic and amnesic effects than
temazepam.