Reasons for Repeated General Anesthesia for Dental Treatments of Uncooperative Children.

Objectives: In some cases, dental treatment of children under general anesthesia (GA) should be repeated due to treatment failures. This study evaluated the reasons leading to dental retreatment under GA in children under 12 years of age. Materials and methods:In this retrospective study, the records of all children who underwent dental treatment under GA between 2011-2021 in Tabriz Dental Faculty Hospital, Iran, were collected. The records of children treated under GA for the second time or more were analyzed. Collected data included age at first treatment, mental and/or physical disabilities, type of treatments and participation in follow-up sessions. Data were analyzed using Stata SE version 17. Results:In a group of 667 children who underwent general anesthesia for the first time (GA1), 41% (95% confidence interval [CI] 37.2%-44.9%) required retreatment. Among all age groups, 1-3-year-old children were more likely to require a second GA (GA2) compared to other age groups (all P < 0.05). Children with physical and mental disabilities were around eight times more likely to require a second GA (P < 0.05). Conclusion:Younger age, mental and physical disabilities, no or irregular participation in follow-up sessions and treatments such as composite resin restorations or pulpotomy were factors influencing repeated dental treatments under general anesthesia.