Orv Hetil. 2026 Sep 6;167(36):1436-1444. doi: 10.1556/650.2026.33647. Print 2026 Sep 6.
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: The number of children with special needs is increasing, posing a growing challenge for pediatric dental care. Their treatment often requires special conditions, usually general anesthesia. At the Department of Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics of Semmelweis University, decades of experience have been established in the care of children with disabilities, ensuring appropriate treatment even for patients in higher-risk categories.
OBJECTIVE: The aim of our study is to summarize the experience gained from pediatric dental treatments performed under general anesthesia in a hospital setting. We present the demographic characteristics and composition of the treated population and the therapeutic procedures performed of the treated population.
METHOD: A retrospective analysis of the medical records of patients treated under general anesthesia between September 1, 2015 and December 31, 2024.
RESULTS: During the study period, 504 dental treatments under general anesthesia were performed on 399 patients (mean age: 10.11 (SD ± 3.95) years; 66.1% male; 33.9% female); the annual gender distribution remained stable. The primary indication for sedation was non-cooperation associated with autism spectrum disorder (n = 194). The annual case number of children with special needs showed a significant linear increase, 4.63 new cases per year in average (B = 4.63; p = 0.003; adjusted R2 = 0,647). Although the overall distribution of underlying conditions was unchanged, the relative frequency of children with autism significantly increased (p = 0.019; V = 0.125). Waiting times showed a significant linear increase (p<0.001), with the median rising from 10 to 225 days.
CONCLUSION: Poor oral hygiene is common among children with special needs, often leading to premature tooth extraction, therefore, targeted education for parents and caregivers and enhanced preventive care are essential. The increasing demand for general anesthesia may require monitoring and optimizing care capacity to ensure appropriate patient care. Orv Hetil. 2026; 167(36): 1436-1444.
PMID:42702006 | DOI:10.1556/650.2026.33647
