Postoperative Complications Following Dental Treatment under General Anesthesia of Pediatric Patients: A Review

Introduction: General anesthesia is an advanced behavior guidance technique indicated for some pediatric dental patients to provide a safe and high-quality dental treatment. However, systemic and dental risks following the treatment are questionable. No available reviews outline the complications following the dental treatment among pediatric patients and how to reduce its incidence afterward. Aims: This review aimed to assess the reported postoperative complications among healthy pediatric patients (ASA 1 or 11) following dental treatment under general anesthesia and recommendations to reduce the incidence and severity of these complications postoperatively. Methods: A review of the literature on postoperative complications following dental treatment under general anesthesia was conducted. Published articles addressing the type, frequency, and severity of the postoperative complications among healthy pediatric dental patients were assessed. Results: In general, the results of this review indicated that the complications are mild to moderate in severity and no severe complications were documented. Also, the majority can be easily managed and most importantly could he avoided before its occurrence. Conclusion: This review helps to predict the most common complications following dental treatment of healthy pediatric patients under general anesthesia and recommendations to minimize the morbidity postoperatively.