Dental Treatment for Handicapped Patients in Day Care Units: 2 Years' Experience at Seoul National University Dental Hospital

서지정보

· 발행기관 : 대한치과마취과학회
· 수록지 정보 : Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine / 2권 / 1호 / 21 ~ 26페이지
· 저자명 : 김현정, 박창주, 염광원

초록

‘Dentally' handicapped persons mean the ones who have difficulty cooperating voluntarily with the dentist for routine treatment necessary for quality dental care. They are usually exposed to high risks of dental caries and periodontal disease because they cannot adequately maintain so good oral hygiene as other people do. Additionally, some medications prescribed for their general condition, such as phenytoin, may further worsen the resulting oral condition. Furthermore, when the changes attributed to
dental problems are recognized in eating habits or other actions, it is often too late (Weaver, 1995). Even if dental treatment is inevitable, proper treatment
cannot also be undergone because they are not convinced to cooperate with their caregiver or dentist. It is also difficult for them to be seated with the mouth opened for a time required for treatment. Dentists cannot waste a long
time to wait for them to be prepared and once the treatment begins, they are frequently pressed for treatment time, not taking care of their general condition. These aspects totally make the situation for handicapped patients
worst. Seoul National University Dental Hospital (SNUDH) Dental Clinic for the Handicapped, working as a team of dental specialists of all clinical fields, anesthesiologists and support and recovery staff, was opened firstly in
Korea on Feb, 1999. It was founded to provide comprehensive dental treatment for handicapped patients in day care units. But it began to offer dental services independently on Jan, 2001. Almost all patients were referred
from general practitioners who were not able to manage them properly.
The aims of the present study were, first, to introduce our current principle and protocol at SNUDH Dental Clinic for the Handicapped, secondly to determine the anesthetic characteristics of the patients attending for
dental treatment in these day care units and finally to establish the plan for better services.

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