42 - Anesthesia for dental procedures

Abstract

In light of the advances in healthcare, dental disease is still among the most prevalent of diseases, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Tooth decay is more common than other common chronic diseases of childhood including asthma. The impact of caries is pervasive and despite advances in preventive dentistry, some conditions still require more than local anesthesia to facilitate dental treatment. General anesthesia may be required to treat children with severe systemic disease or disabling congenital anomalies, infants and toddlers with caries who require partial or complete oral rehabilitation, and children and adolescents with severe developmental delay who require a safe and effective environment to render the necessary dental treatment. In addition, the fearful or combative child may require procedural sedation when behavior modification techniques have not succeeded. Proper care for these populations necessitates a care team approach consisting of properly trained anesthesia and dental providers.