Who requires dental treatment under general anesthesia due to pain and severe dental anxiety? Findings from panoramic X-ray images and anamnesis.

Objective: The aims were to describe the dental status and mental and somatic health profile of patients with severe dental anxiety requiring dental treatment under general anesthesia (GA) in Rogaland County, Norway (2018-2021), and to compare patients with and without reported abuse history.

Material and methods: Dental status was assessed by panoramic X-rays. General health variables were collected from patient records. Statistical comparisons of patients with and without abuse experience by tests of association (significance level p < 0.05).  Results: 38 women and 18 men (mean ± standard deviation [SD]: 37.9 ± 9.2 years) were included; 27 reported abuse experience. Dental assessment showed 4.6 ± 3.8 missing teeth, 4.8 ± 3.0 root remnants, 5.8 ± 3.7 teeth with caries and 2.6 ± 1.9 teeth with apical periodontitis, among patients with ≥1 of the respective findings. 57.1% used analgesics due to dental pain. 55.4% had comorbid psychiatric conditions; 35.7% used psychopharmaceuticals. There were no statistical differences in dental variables but the abuse experience group had higher frequencies of comorbid psychiatric disorders (p = 0.01) and mixed somatic conditions (p = 0.03).

Conclusions: Patients with severe dental anxiety requiring dental treatment under GA have complex health problems. They need access to treatment under GA, as treatment of serious odontogenic conditions is otherwise unmanageable.