title: Spina bifida and dental care: key clinical issues.
abstract: Spina bifida is a birth defect affecting the spinal column, resulting from failure of neural tube closure during the first month in utero. It is associated with varying degrees of neurologic and orthopedic impairment. This article presents an overview of spina bifida discussing its correlation with dental caries, latex allergy, pulmonary function, craniosynostosis, and morphology of sella turcica, and explains the role of the dentist in countering these problems.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics, School of Dental Sciences, Sharda University, Greater Noida, India. garg.anuradha@yahoo.co.in
authors.forename: Anuradha
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Garg
authors.forename: Ameet V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Revankar
mesh_terms: D003752:Dental Health Services; D006801:Humans; D016135:Spinal Dysraphism / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*