Abstract
The aim of this study was to determine the demands of Progressive Muscular Dystrophy (P. M. D. ) patients and the needs of the dentist, by means of questionaries and the observational records of the daily behaviour by the paramedical staff, and to establish systematic dental health administration for the D type P. M. D. patients. The subjects compromised 38 D type of P. M. D. patients who were housed in the institution of Minami-Kyushu Hospital.
The results obtained were as follows:
1) The masticatory problem was the easily contacted subject for the dental health administration for the D type P. M. D. patients.
2) The masticatory problem was classified into 3 steps as follows: Step 1: the extent to as same level as the healthy subjects. Step 2: the extent of a small influence on the daily life of the patients. Step 3: the extent of the need for the food guidance. and we indicated the needs of coping with each of them.
3) In fact, we need to give instruction concerning masticatory and occclusional problems at least until the initial or even the middle stage of the setting of the mixed dentition.
4) Dentist and the paramedical staff must conduct the followin.:
a) the betterment of foods for the patiedts who need to be under food gui dance.
b) for preventing the open bite, the occlusal induction needs to chiefly given to the Dento-Alveolar changes of incisors.
c) and the trainning of masticatory muscles for maintaining the proper masticatory function.
