Oral ketamine. Its use for mentally retarded adults requiring day care dental treatment.

Four cases of severely mentally handicapped young adults requiring day care dental treatment are reported. All had required varying degrees of restraint during previous dental treatments, which had been distressing for the patient, the relatives and the ward staff. In all cases, administration of oral ketamine 10 mg/kg, 30-60 minutes before the procedure, facilitated subsequent induction of anaesthesia.