A study of the dental treatment needs of special patients: cerebral paralysis and Down syndrome.

AIM: The aim of the present study was to compare the dental characteristics and the oral health care needs of patients with Cerebral Paralysis (CP) and Down Syndrome (DS).

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The selected sample consisted of 28 patients of both sexes between 10 and 20 years of age.

STUDY DESIGN: observational, descriptive and cross-sectional study.

STATISTICS: The statistical analysis was carried out with the SPSS 19.0 program for Windows. The frequency distribution and contingency tables were analysed, as was interobserver concordance. non mi è chiaro cosa intendono qui.

RESULTS: Fifty percent of the patients with CP presented dental traumas, compared to 15% of the patients with DS. Dental prophylaxis was the most prevalent treatment in both groups (77% in CP compared to 86.7% in DS). The most frequent habit was oral breathing, which was found in 69.2% of the patients with CP and 80% of those with DS.

CONCLUSIONS: Patients with CP and DS require early dental care in order to prevent and limit the severity of the pathologies observed.