Clinical study of dental treatment under general anesthesia in our hospital

Objective: The dental treatment under general anesthesia (G.A.) has been used for patients with physical and mental disorders in our hospital. In Japan, it is not common the dental treatment under G.A. for normal patients without cooperation because of fear or low-aged. The purpose of this research is to clarify the relationship between post-operative troubles and mental or physical background of patients. Methods: The 122 patients who had dental treatment under G.A. in our hospital during Sep.1998-Aug.2001 were divided 3 groups, physical handicapped (including heart disease, epilepsy and cerebral palsy), mental handicapped (including autism), and normal group. We analyzed the clinical records, and investigated about contents of dental treatment, the length of treatment and anesthesia, and the kind of the post-operative troubles. Results: The average age was 12.0 years old in physical handicapped, 11.2 in mental handicapped, and 5.4 in normal group. There were no difference of the treatment and anesthesia length among 3 groups (Treatment: 202.9, 207.1, and 203.3 minutes Anesthesia: 279.7, 276.1, and 272.1 minutes). The numbers of treatment teeth was almost same among 3 groups (14.4, 14.1, and 12.6). 57.4% patients in all group reported symptoms of vomiting and/or fever, but the frequency of these symptoms was not difference among 3 groups. Most of these symptoms disappeared in 4 hours post operation. However, the cases that the fever continues more 4 hours related with the length of anesthesia and the age of patients. These results suggest that the post-operative troubles did not correlate with the physical/mental handicapped. The cases of low-aged child and long time treatment should be considered to need medical care in the hospital. Conclusions: If the treatment modalities and provisions will be evaluated carefully, the dental treatment under G.A. should be more common for normal patients in Japan.