Behavioral evaluation during dental care in children ages 0 to 3 years.
OBJECTIVE
Many studies concluded that the behavior of babies complicated dental care because of child immaturity or the difficulty of establishing acceptable communication and comprehension.


METHODS
The records of 696 babies were randomly selected from the baby clinic of Araçatuba in Brazil. Patient age ranged from 0 to 36 months. They were divided into 6 groups according to age: Group I-0 to 6 months; Group II-7 to 12 months; Group III-13 to 18 months; Group IV-19 to 24 months; Group V-25 to 30 months; Group VI-31 to 36 months. The behavior of the child was evaluated upon entrance in the dental office and during the first 4 clinical appointments with a clinical exam and oral physiotherapy. The baby was classified as collaborator (C) or noncollaborator (NC). Statistical analysis was performed using Pearson's chi-square method (P < .05).


RESULTS
The percentage of NC for Groups II, III, IV, and V (66%), was significantly higher than for groups I (30%) and VI (50%).


CONCLUSIONS
Babies from 0 to 6 months showed a collaborative behavior; babies from 7 to 30 months showed noncollaborative behavior; and babies from 31 to 36 months showed no statistically significant difference between the percentage of C and NC.
Cunha
Robson Frederico
RF
State University School of Dentistry, Araçatuba, São Paulo, Brazil. cunha@foa.unesp.br
Delbem
Alberto Carlos
AC
Percinoto
Célio
C
Melhado
Fabíola Lemos
FL
D000367:Age Factors; D001294:Attitude to Health; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002652:Child Behavior; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D003448:Crying; D003729:Dental Care / Q000523:psychology*; D003812:Dentist-Patient Relations; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D018730:Infant Behavior; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D009910:Oral Hygiene; D010808:Physical Examination