DENTAL TREATMENT IN CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS: A LITERATURE REVIEW

Abstract

In Dentistry, a patient with special needs comprises any individual who has one or more limitations, whether temporary or permanent, which may be physical, mental, emotional, sensory, growth or medical, which prevents him from undergoing conventional dental treatment. In this context, oral health care for people with disabilities requires differentiated care from health professionals. Thus, the objective of the present study was to carry out a Literature Review on the dental treatment of people with special needs. For this, a bibliographic search in different Databases – Virtual Health Library, Google Scholar and Pubmed – was carried out. The most prevalent deficiencies in dental offices that require special control and management in relation to dental interventions are: Intellectual Disability, Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's Disease, Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome and Autism Spectrum Disorder. The most common dental problems in these patients are dental caries, Periodontal Disease, Injuries to soft and hard tissues, halitosis, xerostomia, bruxism and malocclusions. It can be concluded that the dental care of people with disabilities must be carried out in an integral way, involving a multidisciplinary team (Dentistry, Medicine, Psychology, Education, Physiotherapy). In addition, guardians and caregivers need to participate and cooperate with dental treatment. And, finally, health professionals need to be trained and/or qualified (in Undergraduate and Primary Health Care) to provide quality treatment to these individuals.