Reasons for repeat dental treatment under general anesthesia for the healthy child.
OBJECTIVE
This study investigated reasons a healthy child may need repeat dental treatment under general anesthesia (GA).


METHODS
Experimental subjects were 23 healthy children who received dental treatment under GA twice; controls were 23 healthy children requiring a single dental treatment session under GA. Records review determined demographics, intraoperative information, diagnosis, and treatment provided. Parents of 11 subjects and 9 controls competed a questionnaire and were interviewed.


RESULTS
Many factors differed between subject and control children. Common characteristics of children requiring repeat care under GA (subjects) were: (1) 100% percent caries involvement of maxillary central incisors at time of initial treatment; (2) majority of central incisors were nonrestorable; (3) still using nursing bottle at the time of GA; (4) child responsible for brushing own teeth; (5) poor cooperation in the medical and dental setting; (6) difficult personality as described by parent; (7) dysfunctional social situation; and (8) lack of follow-up dental care. Stainless steel crowns were the most successful restoration placed.


CONCLUSIONS
A number of predictors were found to help identify high-risk children. Best outcomes following dental rehabilitation under GA may result from aggressive treatment of caries, active follow-up, and education of parents.
Sheller
Barbara
B
Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center, Seattle, Wash, USA. b.sheller@seattlechildrens.org
Williams
Bryan J
BJ
Hays
Katrina
K
Mancl
Lloyd
L
D000766:Anesthesia, Dental / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000768:Anesthesia, General / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001903:Bottle Feeding / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019140:Dental Care for Children / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000628:therapy; D003793:Dental Restoration, Permanent / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008484:Medicaid / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010290:Parents / Q000193:education; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012008:Recurrence; D019233:Retreatment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014081:Tooth Extraction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014481:United States