Dental care for the handicapped adolescent

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Dentistry
• Special Care Dentistry
• Public Health Dentistry

Background:

• Children with physical, mental, and multiple handicaps often have unique dental needs.
• Assessing dental status and treatment requirements in special populations is crucial for improving oral health outcomes.
• Mobile dental units offer a potential solution for delivering care to underserved groups.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the dental needs of handicapped children with those of non-handicapped children.
• To evaluate the effectiveness and cooperation levels of dental treatment provided in a mobile unit for handicapped children.
• To inform treatment strategies for improving oral health in adolescents with special needs.

Main Methods:

• A 4-year pilot study examined 932 handicapped children in special schools using a mobile dental unit.
• Dental needs were compared between 744 treated handicapped children and 450 children in normal schools.
• Cooperation and treatment outcomes in the mobile clinic were assessed.

Main Results:

• Handicapped children had a higher proportion of caries-free individuals but required more extractions and periodontal treatment.
• Adolescents (12-16 years) with handicaps showed more decayed and missing teeth, and fewer fillings compared to controls.
• Over 90% of treatments in the mobile clinic were satisfactory, with 79% cooperation; 8.5% required general anesthesia.

Conclusions:

• Despite higher caries-free rates, handicapped children present complex dental needs requiring specialized attention.
• Mobile dental units can effectively provide treatment for many handicapped children, though some require general anesthesia.
• Future treatment should focus on patient/parent education, achieving optimal oral health and aesthetics, and encouraging further treatment acceptance.