BackgroundMany young paediatric patients with severe dental caries receive dental treatment under general anaesthesia. Oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) can be evaluated to assess the outcome of dental general anaesthesia (DGA) treatment. The aim of our study was to examine the OHRQoL of young Lithuanian children in need of DGA treatment and analyse the impact of DGA treatment on children’s OHRQoL.MethodsWe carried out a prospective clinical follow-up study on OHRQoL among all young Lithuanian child patients who received DGA treatment at the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences Hospital during 2010–2012. The study consisted of clinical dental examinations of patients younger than six years, data collected from their patient files, and an OHRQoL survey completed by their parents prior to the child’s dental treatment. We conducted a follow-up OHRQoL survey one month after the DGA treatment. The Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (ECOHIS) and its effect size (ES) served to evaluate children’s OHRQoL, and the Wilcoxon signed-rank test served for statistical analyses.ResultsWe obtained complete baseline and follow-up data for 140 and 122 participants, respectively (84.7% follow-up rate). Pain and eating problems among children and parents feeling upset and guilty were the most frequently reported impacts at baseline. The parents reported greater impacts on boys than on girls. The ECOHIS score decreased significantly (69.5%, p < 0.001) after DGA treatment, revealing a large ES for the child (1.6) and family (2.4) sections of the ECOHIS.ConclusionsThe OHRQoL of young Lithuanian children requiring DGA treatment is seriously impaired. Dental general anaesthesia treatment results in significant improvement of the children’s OHRQoL. The children’s parents also greatly appreciate this treatment modality for its positive impact on the family’s quality of life.

This longitudinal study showed a sustained improvement in the children's OHRQoL six months after their DGA treatment. Post-operative parental ratings of their child's oral health were higher after the DGA treatment, but the children exhibited insufficient oral hygiene and new caries lesions. An appropriate follow-up system for children receiving DGA treatment with special focus on preventive care is needed.

Background and Objective. Dental general anesthesia (DGA) is an efficient treatment modality for young pediatric dental patients. The aim of this study was to identify the reasons for DGA, characteristics of patients receiving treatment under DGA, and treatment performed under DGA for children under school age in Kaunas, Lithuania. Material and Methods. The study population comprised all patients younger than 6 years treated under GA for dental reasons (n=144) at the University Hospital during a 3-year period from 2010 to 2012. The data were collected by means of clinical dental examinations, a survey of the parents, and the patients’ dental records and included personal background, reasons for DGA, dental status, and treatment provided. Results. More than half (54%) of the children were younger than 4 years; 40% of them resided in cities. The dental caries experience was high: the mean dmft and d were 12.9 (SD, 3.5) and 12.1 (SD 3.9), respectively. The majority (81%) of the children had multiple reasons for DGA, with the need for excessive treatment (93%), followed by dental fear and uncooperativeness (66%), being the most common. The extent of treatment increased with age and was greater among patients from rural areas. Of the 1975 primary teeth treated under GA, 50% were restored, 32% extracted, and 18% targeted with preventive procedures. Conclusions. Young children with very high levels of untreated tooth decay are treated under DGA at the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences Hospital. The need for complex treatment as well as dental fear and uncooperativeness are the major reasons for DGA. Multiple caries treatments and extractions are performed for these patients. This study highlights a great need to develop the healthcare system with regard to the appropriate management of caries among young children and postoperative DGA care.