General Anesthesia for Pediatric Dental Patients with Special Needs

Children with special needs are defined by having any cognitive, physical, developmental, mental, communication or behavioral disabilities. These children require specialised and well-tailored treatment which enables a trouble-free environment for both the patient and pediatric dentist. Pediatric dentists usually have various conventional non-pharmacological behavior techniques to take these roadblocks like desensitisation, modelling, tell show do etc. But the special health care need patients lack cooperation ability and develop dental anxiety really fast. To reduce anxiety and fear in such patients and enable trouble free treatment for patient and dentist, methods such as general anaesthesia or oral, inhaled, or intravenous sedation can be considered. Oral rehabilitation under GA is hence a suitable option in children with special needs. It gives the dentist calm and appropriate field to work on increasing the efficiency of dental treatment rendered and does not overload the anxiety and sensory sensitivities of the patient. GA hence bridges this gap between dental care for children who otherwise cannot receive essential dental care.