Comparative Assessment of Oral Health Related Quality of Life of Children Before and After Full Mouth Rehabilitation under General Anaesthesia and Local Anaesthesia

Introduction: Early Childhood Caries (ECC) is an aggressive form of caries in a child who is 71 months of age or younger. If the child is cooperative, the treatment may be completed under Local Anaesthesia (LA). General Anaesthesia (GA) is considered if the child is uncooperative, medically compromised or if the parents are unable to return for regular visits and requests treatment under GA. Improved Oral health Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL) has been reported after dental treatment under GA.

Aim: To assess and compare the improvements in OHRQoL of children who have undergone dental treatment under GA or LA. To study the preoperative severity of events that may prompt the parents to consider treatment under GA.

Materials and methods: Parents of paediatric patients who had to undergo full mouth rehabilitation under GA and LA were selected for this study. Parents were given a questionnaire to evaluate OHRQoL of children before and after completion of treatment. Preoperative and postoperative assessments were analyzed using paired t-test.

Results: Dental disease was found to have a significant impact on children's overall well being. There was a considerable improvement with relation to eating preferences, amount of food intake, sleep and pain relief before and after dental treatment. There was no significant difference if the child was treated under GA or LA.

Conclusion: Severe caries affects the quality of life of preschool children and improvement on quality of life is significant regardless of treatment performed under GA or LA.