The Use of General Anesthesia for Pediatric Dentistry in Saskatchewan: A Retrospective Study

Introduction: The rate of general anesthesia (GA) use for pediatric dental treatment in Saskatchewan is among the highest in Canada. Although the prevalence of and risk factors for early childhood caries (ECC) has been reviewed nationally, few studies have focused on Saskatchewan. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of and predictive factors for dental treatment under GA in Saskatchewan. Methods: This retrospective review focused on pediatric patients who required dental treatment under GA in Saskatchewan between 2015 and 2018. Demographic, dental diagnostic and treatment data and number of previous exposures to GA were collected and analyzed. Results: We reviewed 570 patient records. Dental treatment needs among the sample were complex; children had 10.85 +/- 3.56 (mean +/- standard deviation) teeth treated, for an average cost of $3231.72 +/- $898.95 per child. Children who lived in less accessible or remote locations had a significantly higher caries experience, number of teeth treated and cost of treatment. In addition, children who lived in such locations were more likely to have had previous dental treatment under GA (odds ratio [OR] 1.29, 95% CI 1.029-1.645) compared with those who lived in easily accessible/ accessible areas (OR 0.81, 95% CI 0.700-0.953). Conclusion: Our findings confirm previous research that children who require dental treatment under GA have extensive caries and treatment needs. Our results suggest that children who live in less accessible and more remote areas of the province have a higher burden of disease and are more likely to require repeated GA exposures for dental treatment.