Effects of preterm birth on oral growth and development: a clinical case report

Abstract

A premature baby is considered to be a baby born alive before 37 weeks of gestation. It is estimated that in 2020, 13.4 million premature babies were born internationally, the international premature birth rate ranges between 4% and 16%. The stomatological risks in the premature patient are: oral breathing, smaller craniofacial size, delayed maturation and eruption chronology, alteration in the development of the jaws, malocclusions, microdontia, enamel hypoplasia, HIM syndrome, ankylosis in both dentitions, asymmetry in the palate, bruxism, TMJ dysfunction. Clinical case: male patient, 11 years and 4 months old, ASA I with a diagnosis of central auditory processing disorder of the auditory neuropathy spectrum. Upon indirect questioning, the mother reports that the gestation time was 31 weeks. During the intraoral, extraoral and behavioral evaluation, alterations related to premature birth are observed. Conclusions: the integration of the clinical record is essential in the dental care of patients with a history of premature birth, which will allow a correct approach to the most common oral alterations present in these patients, as well as their prevention. Likewise, multidisciplinary work is important to participate in the evaluation and control of development from birth.