Outpatient, dental care of adult vulnerable patients under general anaesthesia—a retrospective evaluation of need for treatment and dental follow-up care

OBJECTIVES: To analyse the treatment needs of patients who had received dental treatment under GA and the effectiveness of the treatment provided. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective chart analysis of adult at risk and vulnerable patients requiring dental treatment under GA (2007–2017). Outcome variables were indications for GA, DMF/T, and type of treatment, failure rates of treated teeth, emergencies and recall intervals after GA. RESULTS: Four hundred fourteen subjects (median age 42 years, range 18–93 years) were assigned to four groups (people with disabilities (pwdis), dementias (pwd), dental phobias (pwph), and addictions/psychosocial disorders (pwapd)) and attended the pre-GA assessment. Of these, 247 subjects (median 37 years, range 18–93 years) were treated under GA, mostly pwdis (n = 154, 69.7%). The main indication for treatment under GA was suspicion of pain (n = 178, 72.1%). Pwd had the highest degree of restoration (46.7%), DMF/T value (23.8), and most missing teeth (5.8). Pwapd had the most decayed teeth (12.9). There was a 12-month recall augmented by 2–4 oral hygiene sessions depending on compliance. The failure rate of all treated teeth was 4%. Two dental emergencies were reported for patients who received a GA. CONCLUSIONS: Dental treatment need was high for adult vulnerable people. The diagnostic groups differed mainly in their subjective reason for need of a GA, their DMF/T, treatment needs and type of treatments performed. Failure and dental emergency rates after GA were low in spite of a recall interval of 12 months. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Regular annual recalls could avoid dental emergencies in patients requiring treatment under GA.