Some characteristics of patients given dental treatment under general anesthesia.

The attitude to treatment of dental diseases under general anesthesia has been rather restricted in the dental profession in Scandinavia. Yet, some patients with certain medical conditions and patients haunted by anxiety may not be able to have conventional dental treatment. During the period 1975-1983, 1067 patients were treated in a group practice in Oslo. These patients are described with regard to gender, age, reasons for treatment, place of residence, source of referral, and type of treatment given. Some of the data are related to the year of treatment. The profile of patients changed during the observation period. At the beginning most of the patients came from Oslo and were less than 6 years old, whereas at the end most of the patients were more than 15 years old, lived outside Oslo, and had more conservative than radical treatment. It is concluded that there will probably always be a small group for whom dental treatment under general anesthesia will be necessary.