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.