DENTAL MANAGEMENT OF CEREBRAL PALSY

Cerebral palsy is a term used to describe a group of permanent and progressive disorders affecting movement and posture that result from injury or insult to the developing brain. It is the most common motor disability of childhood, with a worldwide incidence of 1.5 to 3 per 1000 live births. Children with cerebral palsy posses a significant higher risk of dental disease due to the greater difficulty for them to perform effective oral hygiene and care. Dentists dealing with them should possess thorough knowledge of this condition and their implications in order to formulate safe and effective dental preventive and treatment plans.This article will help the dentist to understand all the aspects related to the dental management of patients with cerebral palsy and apply it in clinical practice.