Analysis of clinical characteristics, dental treatment performed, and postoperative complications of 200 patients treated under general anesthesia in a special needs dental clinic in northern Taiwan

Background/purposeDental patients with mental, psychiatric, or neurological disorders may need general anesthesia during dental treatments. This study analyzed the dental treatments and postoperative complications of 200 dental patients in a special needs dental clinic in northern Taiwan.Materials and methodsThe dental treatments and postoperative complications of 200 dental patients who needed general anesthesia for performing the dental treatments in a special needs dental clinic were analyzed statistically.ResultsThe mean age of 200 dental patients (97 pediatric and 103 adult patients; 130 males and 70 females) was 20.2 ± 15.2 years. Of the 200 patients, 145 had tooth extractions, 118 tooth fillings, 46 root canal treatments, 56 either pulpotomy or pulpectomy, 45 stainless steel crown placement, and seven panoramic radiographic examinations. In pediatric patients, psychiatric problems were the most commonly encountered disorders (61.9%), followed by mental retardation (44.3%). In adult patients, mental retardation was the most common disorder (81.6%), followed by psychiatric disorders (34.0%). Of the 200 patients, 66 needed intubation general anesthesia (IGA) and 134 nonintubation general anesthesia (NIGA). IGA patients needed a significantly longer operation duration than NIGA patients (P < 0.001). Regarding postoperative complications, IGA patients had significantly higher epistaxis episodes than NIGA patients (P < 0.001). However, NIGA patients had significantly higher desaturation rate than IGA patients (P = 0.028).ConclusionBoth IGA and NIGA are effective and relatively safe methods for dental patients who need dental treatment in a special needs dental clinic, but anesthesia itself still carries certain risks.