An Assessment of Comprehensive Dental Treatment Provided under General Anaesthesia

Objectives: To determine: the profile of the child patients treated; types of dental procedures performed; the oral health and practice of the child post-GA; the status of the restorative procedures performed. Method: Files were randomly selected from the bank of records of child patients treated under General Anaesthesia (GA) at the Oral Health Centre, Tygerberg in 2004. The caregivers of these patients that met the inclusion criteria were informed and invited to participate in the study. An oral examination of the child was done. Percentile sites were scored to assess Plaque and Gingivitis, and Ryge's Modified Clinical Criteria was used to assess the clinical performance of the restorative procedures. Data was analyzed using SPSS with appropriate statistical package( P< 0.05). Results: 30 child patients treated in the past 24 months were examined (11 males and 19 females) with a mean age of 47 months at time of GA appointment. The average procedures for each patient were 6 restorations (Class I), and 4 extractions. The Plaque mean percentile score was 50.9% of sites, and for Gingivitis the mean percentile score was 10% of sites. Ryge's Clinical Criteria (Charlie and Delta combined) for the restorations that needed replacement were in ascending order: Amalgam (25%), Resin Modified Glass Ionomers (31%), Glass Ionomers (39%), and Composites (46%). Conclusions: The GA patient is young and had extensive dental procedures done. The post – GA oral hygiene is fair to poor, and the failure rate for the restorations placed is high for all materials used especially the Composites. The findings suggest that maybe more aggressive comprehensive treatments including preventive therapies may be needed.