Effectiveness of a Preventive Recall Strategy for Children After Dental Rehabilitation with General Anesthesia.

Purpose: To test a more frequent preventive recall strategy following full-mouth dental rehabilitation (FMDR) in children with early childhood caries (ECC).

Methods: Patients were randomized into two groups: controls, who were scheduled to return at six-month intervals (6-MR); and the intervention group, who were scheduled to return at three-month intervals (3-MR and 6-MR). At baseline and at each recall, a caries risk assessment (CRA) and dental exam were completed. Analyses followed CONSORT recommendations, resulting in three analyses: intent-to-treat; per-protocol; and an actual recall analysis.

Results: Intent-to-treat analysis showed no significant difference in CRA at six months (P>0.7); per-protocol analysis showed borderline significance (P>.08); and actual recall analysis showed a statistically significant difference in CRA at six months (P=.021). For patients with both 3-MR and 6-MR, 44 percent were assessed at a high caries risk level; for patients with only a 6-MR, 72 percent were assessed as a high caries risk level (P=.021). No significant differences were found in caries incidence at six months.

Conclusions: Following full-mouth dental rehabilitation, patients who returned for follow-ups at both three- and six-month intervals had a greater decrease in caries risk level compared to patients seen at six-month follow-up intervals.