1 Department of Child Dental Health, Faculty of Dentistry, College of Health Sciences, University of Port Harcourt, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria.
2 Department of Child Dental Health, University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria.
Research Article
World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, 2022, 13(01), 513-519
Article DOI: 10.30574/wjarr.2022.13.1.0061
Received on 13 December 2021; revised on 17 January 2022; accepted on 19 January 2022
Background: Orthodontic patients may present with complex dentofacial problems that require treatment by more than one dental specialist as well as medical specialists. Such patients present not only with malocclusion but also dental caries, periodontal diseases, dental trauma, missing teeth, sleep apnoea among others. Multi-disciplinary management allows for effective and efficient comprehensive care. The aim of this study was to highlight the multidisciplinary care of orthodontic patients at University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital.
Materials and Methods: A 7-year retrospective study of patients who attended the Orthodontic Clinic in the Department of Child Dental Health, University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Data collected from the patients’ files was analysed using IBM Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Statistics for Windows version 25.0.
Results: A total of 200 patients with an age range of 4-44years comprising 80 (40%) males and 120 (60%) females were included in the study. The majority of patients, 145 (72.5%) had scaling and polishing performed by paediatric dentists whilst 53 (26.5%) adult patients were seen by a periodontologist. Eight (4%) had root canal therapy, composite and glass ionomer cement (GIC) restorations placement by a restorative dentist whilst 6 (3%) had teeth replaced by the prosthodontist. The patients were also co-managed by oral and maxillofacial surgeons (28,14%), Ear Nose and Throat surgeons (3,1.5%), paediatricians (5, 2.5%) and neurosurgeons (2, 1%).
Conclusion: Multidisciplinary management of our patients was by both medical and dental specialists particularly paediatric dentists and periodontists.
Multidisciplinary management; Orthodontic patients; UPTH; Nigeria
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Elfleda Angelina Aikins and Chinyere Ututu. Multidisciplinary management of orthodontic patients at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Rivers State, Nigeria. World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, 2022, 13(1), 513-519. Article DOI: https://doi.org/10.30574/wjarr.2022.13.1.0061