Autism: the aetiology, management and implications for treatment modalities from the dental perspective

Autism is defined as a rare and severe psychiatric disorder of childhood. It is marked by severe difficulties in communicating, and forming relationships with other people, in developing language, repetitive and limited patterns of behaviour and obsessive resistance to small changes in familiar surroundings. Hence, affected children offer a special challenge to the practising dentist. To meet this challenge, it is necessary to understand the condition and how to manage its varying presentations in different individuals. The purpose of this article is to review the literature on the topic of autism with an emphasis on the dental perspective.

A better understanding of the effects of autism on the behaviour of an affected individual provides the dental practitioner with the opportunity to deliver oral healthcare in an empathetic and appropriate manner.