Caries pattern and dental treatment features of children with autism spectrum disorder under general anesthesia

Difficulty in the cooperation of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) leads to a poor diagnosis of caries patterns and poor clinical and radiographic findings. This study aimed to investigate the association between caries patterns and treatment characteristics in children with ASD and compare these variables with those in healthy children treated under general anesthesia. The medical records of children with ASD undergoing dental treatment under general anesthesia (n = 40) were analyzed in this study. The collected data included demographic profile, medical status (ASD severity and associated comorbidities), dental history (behavior, care approach, past dental treatment, and follow-up period), caries pattern (surface and depth), and clinical and radiographic findings (e.g., percussion/palpation pain, fistula, furcation involvement, and pathologic resorption). We compared the caries patterns and treatment of children with ASD to those of their healthy counterparts (n = 40). In children with ASD, age and severity were significantly associated with presentation behavior (P = .03 and P = .04) and the chosen care approach (P = .03). Clinical and radiographic examinations revealed that furcation involvement or pathological resorption was more frequent in children with ASD from families with lower average monthly income (P = .05) and in those with associated comorbidities (P = .02). Caries involving 1 or 2 surfaces were more prevalent in children with ASD, with a significant proportion extending to the dental pulp (P < .001). Dental caries characteristics and patterns among children with ASD differ from those of healthy children, which influences dental treatment decisions.