Purpose: This retrospective study aimed to evaluate the demographic characteristics, treatment modalities, ASA classification, and anesthesia durations of healthy and special needs children undergoing dental treatment under general anesthesia at Tokat Gaziosmanpaşa University Faculty of Dentistry. Materials and Methods: A total of 132 pediatric patients treated under general anesthesia between June 2022 and June 2024 were included. Patients were divided into healthy and special needs groups. Demographic data, presence of disabilities, treatment types, dental materials used, and anesthesia durations were recorded. Results: Among the participants, 58.3% were male and 41.7% were female. The mean age of healthy children was 5.32±1.67 years, while that of special needs children was 7.73±2.68 years, with a statistically significant difference (p0.001). ASA I classification was observed in 49.2% of patients. The mean anesthesia duration was 130.38 minutes for healthy children and 115.22 minutes for special needs children, with no significant difference (p=0.051). A total of 1882 dental procedures were performed, with restorative treatment being the most frequent (48.62%). Extraction rates were 31.99% in special needs children and 28.13% in healthy children. Fissure sealants and prefabricated crowns were more commonly applied in healthy children. Conclusions: Special needs children were treated under general anesthesia at an older age and required more extractions compared to healthy children. While restorative treatment was the most common procedure in both groups, preventive applications were relatively low. These findings highlight the importance of considering age, disability status, and treatment needs in planning dental procedures under general anesthesia.
Şahin et al. (2026) studied this question.