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World J Stomatol. Nov 26, 2018; 6(2): 11-18
Published online Nov 26, 2018. doi: 10.5321/wjs.v6.i2.11
Autism spectrum disorder: Review of literature and dental management
Luiz Fernando M Czornobay, Etiene Andrade Munhoz, Mariah L Lisboa, Inês Beatriz S Rath, Alessandra R de Camargo
Luiz Fernando M Czornobay, Etiene Andrade Munhoz, Inês Beatriz S Rath, Alessandra R de Camargo, Department of Dentistry, Health Science Centre, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis 88040-900, Brazil
Mariah L Lisboa, University Hospital Professor Polydoro Ernani de São Thiago, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis 88036-800, Brazil
Author contributions: All authors equally contributed to this paper with conception and design of the study, literature review and analysis, drafting and critical revision and editing, and final approval of the final version.
Conflict-of-interest statement: No potential conflicts of interest.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Correspondence to: Etiene Andrade Munhoz, MD, PhD, Professor, Department of Dentistry, Health Science Centre, Federal University of Santa Catarina, s/n Delfino Conti St, Florianópolis 88040-900, Brazil. etiamfob@yahoo.com
Telephone: +55-48-37219079 Fax: +55-48-37219520
Received: August 23, 2018
Peer-review started: August 23, 2018
First decision: October 10, 2018
Revised: October 16, 2018
Accepted: November 13, 2018
Article in press: November 13, 2018
Published online: November 26, 2018
Processing time: 105 Days and 14.6 Hours
Abstract

With an increase in the number of cases of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), dental professionals need to be aware of the different techniques required to ensure safe dental treatments for affected patients. The concerns and preferences of the parents and the medical and dental history of each patient should be considered. The aim of this article was to provide a comprehensive update on the medical and dental health of patients with ASD. A detailed search of the electronic database PubMed/Medline/Lilacs was performed for the terms “Autism”, “Autistic”, “Autism Spectrum Disorder”, “ASD”, “Dentistry” and “Dentist”, in the period between 2006 and 2017. Systemic reviews, research articles, and literature reviews were included. Expert opinions, case series, and case reports were excluded from the search. A detailed family-centered approach based on the preferences and concerns of parents is an important foundation for appropriate individualized dental treatment of patients with ASD. In addition, the knowledge of disruptive behaviors and patient´s challenges may guide dental practitioners in improving treatment planning, oral management, and the overall oral health of patients with ASD.

Keywords: Autism; Autism spectrum disorder; Autistic; Dentistry; Dental management

Core tip: The number of patients diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder is increasing and the behavioral disorders of these patients can prove challenging during dental treatment. This literature review concluded that desensitization techniques and a patient-centered individual approach with the support of family could make dental treatments less stressful, less time consuming, and more successful.