Abstract
The purpose of this study was to discuss dental possibilities and problems with cerebral palsied children, to evaluate the difficulty encountered with dental treatment. The subjects were 55 mildly to severely cerebral palsied inpatients and outpatients, who were treated and recorded. According to the following standards, we made total evaluations. Standard evaluation items were“cooperative attitude”,“tonus, and involuntary movement condition for jaws and face”,“respiration, and abnormal reflex”.
Evaluation was classified into 6 ranks, and numerical values were ranked 0to 5.
The results were as follows.
1) At first treatment,52.8% patients were ranked II to III,“with dental problems and difficulty in treatment”.
2) Under the total planed treatment,26 patients finished, and their average number of visits totaled 4.2 times. Also about 50 % of the patients of rank II to IV, who were comparatively difficult, finished their treatment.
3) We investigated the changing evaluation, with patients who came more than 3 times. More mildy handicapped inpatients were“change for better”or“no change”, on the other hand, severely handicapped inpatients had tendency to increase to“changeable”or“change for worse”. Totally, the change in patients ranks showed considerable individual differences.
4) It seemed that the required time had little relationship between treatment and evaluation ranks.
As results, this study suggested that even if mentally and physically handicapped children can be treated at outpatient clinics. Some severely cerebral palcied children run a high risk with their treatment. It is also suggested that they requries dental treatment under sedation or general anesthesia.
