Background: Children with extensive dental problems and unable to cooperate, their dental treatment has to be completed with general anesthesia (G.A.). Differences in dental treatment under G.A. in healthy and disabled children are rarely reported.
Purpose: This retrospective study evaluates and compares the different treatment modalities performed under G.A. in pediatric dental patients (healthy and disabled children).
Subjects & Methods: Pediatric Dentistry, King Saud Hospital, Patients' records under 15yrs treated under GA, between Sept 08–Dec 13, were retrospectively reviewed and divided into two Groups : (Group ß) Special-health care needs, (Group π) Healthy but extremely uncooperative, both groups with substantial dental needs. Comprehensive treatment under GA provided using modalities of simple filling, crowns, pulp therapy, fissure sealant and extraction were statistically analyzed and compared between ß & π using t-test.
Results: 756 patients treated under G.A, (π) 641 and (ß) 115. With insignificant differences in ages, sex & total number of treated teeth in both groups, p>0.001. 59% of π and 40.9% of ß (< 6yrs) had significant differences in treatment modalities, with P0.05.
Conclusions: Underlying medical or mental conditions may influence dental condition and treatment modality provided.