Comparison of the children's oral health habits and oral-health-related quality of life following treatment under dental general anesthesia and passive restraint

Abstract

To compare the children's oral health habits and oral-health-related quality of life following treatment under dental general anesthesia (DGA) and passive restraint (PR). In the Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, twenty eight 2 to 4-year-old patients treated under DGA and thirty five treated under PR were collected in this non-randomized controlled trial. The general information including age and decayed, missed and filled teeth(dmft), dental plaque index was recorded preoperatively. Two questionnaires, questionnaire of oral health habits and early childhood oral health impact scale (ECOHIS) were completed by parents before and 6 months after treatment (including restoration, root canal treatment, stainless steel crown, tooth extraction, etc.). Six months after treatment, dental plaque index and restoration were reexamined. The patients were significantly elder in DGA group [(3.1 ± 0.6) years old, P < 0.05], and the mean dmft was significantly higher (13.1 ± 4.1, P < 0.001) in DGA group. The postoperative dietary habits and brushing habits significantly improved in PR group, but not in the DGA group. However, according to the results of ECOHIS, the occurrence of pain, the impacts of patients on daily life, psychology and family due to the oral diseases significantly decreased in DGA group (P < 0.05), while in PR group, only the occurrence of pain reduced (P < 0.05). No statistical difference was found between the two groups in new caries or recurrent caries (PR group: 37.1%, DGA group: 39.3%), secondary caries (PR group: 4.1%, DGA group: 2.3%), and failure of the restoration (PR group:1.5%, DGA group: 2.7%). Each behavior management technique has advantages and drawbacks, and no statistical differences were found in the treatment results between the two techniques.