Prosthetic and oral rehabilitation and its impact on the child's behavior: Case Report

Abstract

Background: Dental caries causes severe destruction in dental tissues and can lead to requiring invasive treatments such as tooth extractions. These can compromise the phonetics, occlusion, and esthetics of the child, mainly if it is performed in upper incisors. The aim of this case report is to present an oral rehabilitation and its impact on the behavior of a 6-year-old child. Case report: A 6-year-old male child with tooth decay was brought to the Dental Clinic of the Universidad Científica del Sur (Lima-Perú). The caregiver reported that this was the child’s first-time dental visit. Also, she stated that the child was not very sociable due to the appearance of his upper incisors. During clinical examination, the child showed positive but introverted behavior. It was observed dental plaque, dental caries in teeth 55, 52, 62, 65, 75, and 85; mobility in tooth 62, absence of teeth 51 and 61, and tongue interposition. Radiographic examination showed cervical root fracture in tooth 62. For the dental treatment, oral hygiene and diet habits recommendations, composite resin restorations, and pit and fissure sealants were carried out. A fixed esthetic space maintainer replacing teeth 51, 61 and 62 with orthodontic bands adapted on teeth 55 and 65 was performed. Currently, all dental treatment follow-ups are being performed. Conclusion: Prosthetic and oral rehabilitation recovered function and esthetic and impacted positively on the child’s behavior, improving communication and the child’s self-esteem.