A comparison of restorations for children with early childhood caries treated under general anesthesia or conscious sedation.

PURPOSE There is no data in the dental literature concerning the quality of the restorations performed in young children with early childhood caries (ECC) under sedation as compared with those treated under general anesthesia (GA). The aim of this study was to compare the quality of restorations and recurrent caries in 65 children with ECC who had dental treatment under GA or sedation. METHODS Thirty-four children, mean age 34.4 months were treated under GA and 31 children with a mean age of 37.2 months were treated under sedation and re-examined 6-24 months after completion of treatment. The quality of the restorations was evaluated using a modified Cvar & Ryge index. RESULTS Fifty-nine percent of children treated under GA required further dental treatment compared to 74% of children treated under sedation. The majority of the required treatment was due to new caries: 57% in the GA group and 60% in the sedation group. A total of 248 restorations were evaluated for the GA group, with a 94% success rate for marginal adaptation, 92% success for anatomic form, and 97% had no secondary caries. In the sedation group, out of 224 restorations, 78% demonstrated perfect marginal adaptation, 79% showed adequate anatomic form, and 90% had no secondary caries. Successful marginal adaptation was found in 90% of strip crowns placed under GA, compared to 63% of those placed under sedation. CONCLUSION It is concluded that the outcome of treatments related to quality of the restorations performed under GA is better for all parameters examined.