The Special Needs of Preterm Children - An Oral Health Perspective.
Preterm births are defined as those before 37 weeks of gestation. With advances in fertility medicine and neonatal medicine, the numbers of preterm children in the community have significantly increased. Developmental delays and complications among preterm children are well recognized. Much less consideration is given to the dental complications of preterm children. Manifestations include palatal deformations, enamel defects, tooth size variations and tooth shape deformities, malocclusions, and increased risks of early childhood caries and tooth wear. This article explores orodental risks and orodental needs of preterm children and suggests preventive and management strategies for optimizing the oral health of special needs children.
Gold Coast Oral Health Service, Gold Coast University Hospital, 1 Hospital Boulevard, Southport, Queensland 4215, Australia; Griffith Health, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, Queensland 4222, Australia. Electronic address: annetta.tsang@health.qld.gov.au.
Annetta Kit Lam
AK
Tsang
D002648:Child; D019140:Dental Care for Children; D003730:Dental Care for Persons with Disabilities; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D020380:Needs Assessment; D009909:Oral Health
Children; Dental; Low birthweight; Malocclusion; Oral health; Preterm; Teeth