Aesthetic and functional rehabilitationin pediatric dentistry: a case report

Abstract

In spite of all the preventive measures used in Pediatric Dentistry, nowadays children still need aesthetic and functional rehabilitation due to loss of primary teeth caused by early childhood caries. These losses result in aesthetic and functional changes which may influence the biopsychosocial development of children. Therefore the total prosthesis should be used to repair the masticatory function, to normalize the speech and aesthetics, and to provide a social and emotional adjustment. This article presents a case report of aesthetic and functional rehabilitation of a 5 years old female patient, with early childhood caries, who needed a superior complete denture. After extraction of all the maxillary primary teeth, control of dental caries and filling of decayed mandibular teeth, a complete superior denture was made by using a technique similar to that used for adults. The technique allowed to restore masticatory function, improved the child’s speech and aesthetics, as well as resulted in a satisfaction with the treatment shown by the patient, her mother and relatives.