Demographic evaluation of patients treated under general anesthesia in dentistry

Aim: In this study, we aim to identify the reasons for patients undergoing dental procedures under general anesthesia and determine the role of patient-related variations and characteristics in treatment options under general anesthesia. Materials and Method: Data from patients treated under general anesthesia at Eskişehir Osmangazi University Faculty of Dentistry between May 20, 2013, and April 1, 2023, were analyzed. Relationships between age, gender, systemic diseases, reasons for general anesthesia, and treatment parameters were assessed. Results: The study examined data from 550 patients with ages ranging from 1 to 79 and an average age of 16.41. Findings revealed that dental extractions and restorative procedures were the most common treatments under general anesthesia. Relationships between gender, systemic conditions, age groups, reasons for general anesthesia, and treatments were extensively examined and statistically evaluated. Results indicate significant associations between demographic factors and types of dental treatments under general anesthesia. Conclusion: Primary reasons for general anesthesia treatments are anesthesia requirement, dental phobia, and nausea reflex. No statistically significant relationship was found between gender and reasons for general anesthesia (p=0.064). Considering the systemic conditions, a significant and strong relationship was found between treatments for dental phobia as a reason for undergoing general anesthesia (p<0.001). Statistically significant differences in reasons for general anesthesia were observed based on age groups, specifically for anesthesia requirement, dental phobia, and nausea reflex (p<0.001). The most common treatments under general anesthesia were dental extractions, impacted tooth extractions, and restorative procedures, showing associations with gender (p<0.001). Dental extractions and restorative procedures were predominant in systemic diseases, excluding bipolar disorder. Dental treatments under general anesthesia were most preferred in the age groups of 50-60 and 70 and above, with significant variations. Significant differences were found in reasons for general anesthesia and dental treatments performed under general anesthesia, particularly anesthesia requirement in cyst patients and dental phobia/nausea reflex in dental extraction and restorative procedure patients. Keywords: Anesthesia, Demography, Dentistry, General