2019 Volume 57 Issue 3 Pages 374-381
We investigated dental treatments received by intellectually disabled patients at the Department of Pediatric Dentistry of Hiroshima University Hospital during the fiscal year of 2015, and compared the findings with surveys conducted in 2004 and 2009. Since 2009, a total of 312 patients (214 males, 98 females) have received dental treatments, with 147 returning for follow-up examinations. Their age ranged from 1 to 42 years old, with those between 7 and 12 years of age comprising the largest percentage (35.5%).
The most common cause of intellectual disability was autism (41.9% of all patients), while no complications were noted in 34.6%) and Down syndrome was seen in 10.8%. The most common den tal treatment was professional mechanical tooth cleaning by a dental hygienist (34.8% of all). The numbers of fillings and crown restorations showed decreases over time. Physical restraint during dental treatment was used for 182 (58.1%) of all patients, while the most commonly adopted behavior management method was visual support. Annually, the number of patients requiring management has increased.
