Abstract
Patient: The patient was a 15-year-old male who complained of unattractive appearance of his mouth, related to excessive wear of the mandibular deciduous teeth. He lacked 23 permanent teeth congenitally, and was diagnosed as having aesthetic impairment and infraocclusion due to non-syndromic oligodontia. Occlusal splint therapy was started immediately to rehabilitate the vertical dimension of occlusion. After several deciduous teeth were lost, removal overdentures which covered the residual deciduous teeth were fabricated to repair the missing permanent teeth.
Discussion: The purposes of prosthodontic treatment for patients with oligodontia include occlusal management through the growing years as well as the resolution of aesthetic and/or masticatory problems. In this case, occlusal splint therapy which preceded the loss of deciduous teeth and prosthodontic replacement of missing teeth were effective in maintaining adequate occlusion during growth spurts.
Conclusion: Prosthodontic management of occlusion during the growth period is effective for patients with oligodontia.
