Early childhood caries is a global healthcare concern in developing and industrialized countries. If left untreated, it leads to immediate and long-term complications that affect the well-being and quality of life of concerned families. Therefore, many preventive and treatment approaches are available to the healthcare provider to curb this virulent form of caries. After behavioral interventions, general anesthesia is used in specific settings when a young patient presents with extensive teeth damage and exhibits a lack of cooperation that is incompatible with conventional dental office care. However, without proper follow-up, any positive results might be lost over time.
Objectives: Down Syndrome patients are a particularly vulnerable group to teeth loss and periodontal disease. Therefore, the need for prosthetic rehabilitation is only a matter of time. The aim of this systematic review is to assess and summarize the available literature regarding the outcome of dental implants in patients with Down Syndrome.
Materials and Methods: An electronic search was performed in Pubmed-Medline, Lilacs, and Cochrane Library. Search terms used were: “dental implant” OR “implant rehabilitation” AND “down syndrome”. Articles reporting the placement of implants in patients with down syndrome up until 2022 were included.
Results: A total of 15 studies (10 case reports, 4 retrospective studies and 1 prospective study) comprising 234 implants placed in 61 patients were included. Implant failure occurred for 45 implants, leading to a survival rate of 80.7%. 12 studies out of 15 reported their results after a follow up period of 6 months to 4 years.
Conclusion: The limited body of evidence suggests a survival rate of implants in Down Syndrome patients that is lower than among the general population. While several risk factors could explain these failures, there is still much to be answered regarding the mechanisms leading to implant rejection. A careful approach by dental practitioners should be the norm until better designed future studies with longer follow up periods can further shed light on the outcomes of implant therapy in Down Syndrome patients.
Idiopathic gingival fibromatosis is a rare benign oral disorder characterized by non-hemorrhagic, gradually progressive fibrous gingival enlargement. This overgrowth can be so severe that it can impact both maxillaries, on lingual and buccal sides, sometimes completely covering the crowns. This condition can begin during primary dentition and continue throughout adulthood, setting up a cascade of stomatognathic and psychological negative effects. Herewith, we report a case of a non-syndromic 14 year old female who presented with generalized severe gingival enlargement involving both arches and subsequently diagnosed as idiopathic gingival fibromatosis. The chief complaints were unaesthetic appearance and lack of eruption. The excess tissue was surgically removed under general anesthesia, using electrosugery. The patient was issued regular follow-ups to ensure proper oral hygiene and periodontal controls. Awareness of this condition is of utmost importance for early diagnosis and to prevent further complications spilling into adult age.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.