Time and cost analysis: pediatric dental rehabilitation with general anesthesia in the office and the hospital settings

Untreated Early Childhood Caries (ECC) can lead to serious short-term consequences, including pain, hospitalizations, emergency room visits for abscesses and systemic infections, and in extreme cases, even death. When decay reaches such advanced stages, children often require Total Oral Rehabilitation (TOR) under general anesthesia, involving multiple tooth extractions and restorations/crowns, which can cost nearly $7000 per child, based on 2009-2011 data in the US. Long-term impacts of ECC are also significant, as affected children are likely to experience a lower quality of life related to oral health and a higher risk of developing caries lesions in their permanent teeth."