title: Comparative Evaluation of Pediatric Patients with Mental Retardation undergoing Dental Treatment under General Anesthesia: A Retrospective Analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Behavioral management of patients forms one of the foremost components of pediatric dental treatment. Some children readily cooperate with dental treatment, while others require general anesthesia as a part of treatment protocol for carrying out various dental procedures. Hence, we evaluated the pediatric patients with and without mental retardation, who underwent dental treatment under general anesthesia.
  
  
  METHODS
  The present study analyzed the record of 480 pediatric patients reporting in the department of pedodontics from 2008 to 2014. Analysis of the records of the patients who underwent dental treatment under general anesthesia was done and all the patients were divided into two study groups depending upon their mental level. For the purpose of evaluation, the patients were also grouped according to their age; 4 to 7 years, 8 to 12 years, and 13 to 18 years. Measurement of decayed, missing, and filled teeth and scores for both deciduous and permanent dentition was done before and after the commencement of the dental treatment. Chi-square test and independent t-test were used for evaluating the level of significance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  While comparing the patients in the two groups, maximum number of patients is present in the age group of 13 to 18 years. While comparing the indices' score between the two study groups in various age intervals, no statistically significant results were obtained. Restorative treatment and dental extractions were the most common dental treatments that were seen at a higher frequency in the intellectual disability study group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In patients with mental retardation, a higher frequency of restorative treatment and extractions occurs as compared to healthy subjects of similar age group. Therefore, they require special attention regarding maintenance of their oral health.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Special attention should be given for maintaining the oral health of patients with special health care needs as compared to their physically and mentally normal counterparts.
authors.affiliation: Senior Lecturer, Department of Pedodontics and Preventive Daswani Dental College and Research Centre, Kota, Rajasthan, India, Phone: +919501544877, e-mail: ravishahuja12@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Ravish
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ahuja
authors.affiliation: Dental Surgeon and Consultant- Oral Medicine and Radiology Department of Dental Surgery, Ranchi Institute of Neuro-Psychiatry and Allied Sciences, Kanke, Ranchi, India.
authors.forename: Bhuvan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jyoti
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, New Horizon Dental College and Research Institute, Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh India.
authors.forename: Vinod
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Shewale
authors.affiliation: Department of Pedodontics, Yogita Dental College and Hospital, Khed, Ratnagiri, Maharashtra, India.
authors.forename: Shridhar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shetty
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Surgery, Institute of Dental Sciences Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India.
authors.forename: Santosh Kumar
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Subudhi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry National Dental College and Hospital, Mohali, Punjab, India.
authors.forename: Manpreet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kaur
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000768:Anesthesia, General; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003793:Dental Restoration, Permanent / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014081:Tooth Extraction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
keywords: Mental retardation; Pediatric; Treatment.