Dohsa-Hou Therapeutic Approach of Completely Edentulous down syndrome Patient before Rehabilataion with a Dental Prosthesis- a Case Report

Abstract

Down’s syndrome is a very common genetic disorder associated with medical and physical problems such as cardiac disorders, hearing disability, infectious diseases, intellectual disability and developmental delays. Down’s syndrome is caused due to non-disjunction of chromosome 21 and translocation of an extra copy of the same chromosome. Oral manifestations include hypodontia, periodontitis, premature exfoliation of teeth, xerostomia, misaligned teeth and decreased vertical occlusal dimension. Due to poor oral hygiene and impaired host defense mechanisms in these patients, the prevalence of periodontal disease is high. This can ultimately lead to tooth loss resulting in edentulism for which prosthetic rehabilitation becomes a necessity. The dental treatment of such patients is challenging and complicated due to the intellectual disability that limits their ability to learn, communicate and adapt to the environment. Behavioural management is sometimes required for Down’s syndrome patients. This article discusses a case of Down’s syndrome who presented with fully edentulous oral cavity and had psychiatric symptoms. The case was managed with a Dohsa-hou therapeutic approach for prosthetic rehabilitation of the oral cavity.