Management of severe early childhood caries in a non-cooperative toddler using general anaesthesia: a case report.

Introduction. Early childhood caries (ECC) represent a significant challenge in paediatric dental practice, particularly in very young and non-cooperative patients. Case Presentation. We report the case of a 2-year-old male patient presenting with multiple abscesses in the maxillary anterior region associated with severe dental destruction. Due to the patient’s age, pre-cooperative behaviour, and extensive treatment needs, comprehensive dental treatment was performed under general anaesthesia. Full-mouth rehabilitation was completed in a single session lasting approximately 2 hours and included endodontic treatment, zirconia crowns, stainless-steel crowns, composite restoration, and preventive sealing. The postoperative course was uneventful, with satisfactory clinical outcomes on follow-up. Conclusions. This case highlights the importance of general anaesthesia in managing severe ECC and supports the use of combined approaches to achieve functional and aesthetic rehabilitation in very young paediatric patients.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.62838/ASMJ.2026.1.13