title: Treatment planning for the pediatric patient.
abstract: Treatment planning for pediatric dental patients is a multifactorial, complex process that requires careful consideration of three distinct areas: the patient's caries risk status, the available treatment options and the child's behavior. Components of a caries risk assessment include: a review of the child's medical and dental history in combination with the findings of the clinical and radiographic examination. All decisions regarding appropriate treatment options for the patient are guided by the outcome of the caries risk assessment. The child's behavior is another overriding consideration as it determines how the treatment can be rendered. Information obtained through careful evaluation of each area results in a treatment plan specifically designed for each child's circumstance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Baylor College of Dentistry - Texas A&M Health Science Center, Dallas, Texas, USA. amcwhorter@bcd.tamhsc.edu
authors.forename: Alton G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: McWhorter
mesh_terms: D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation / Q000627:therapeutic use; D032763:Behavior Control; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003442:Crowns; D016854:Dental Anxiety / Q000188:drug therapy; D019140:Dental Care for Children / Q000379:methods*; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000628:therapy*; D003793:Dental Restoration, Permanent; D006801:Humans; D009609:Nitrous Oxide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010347:Patient Care Planning; D011672:Pulpotomy; D018570:Risk Assessment; D057832:Watchful Waiting
chemical_list: D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation; D009609:Nitrous Oxide