Orthodontic Treatment Requirements and Approaches in Children with Bleeding Disorders

Abstract

Aim: In history, orthodontic treatments were avoided in haemophiliac patients. However, since orthodontic treatment is consistent with general health and is a necessity for medically compromised patients, it is not a contradiction anymore. The purpose of this study is to investigate the orthodontic treatment needs of haemophiliac children in Turkey, to determine the approaches and fears of orthodontic treatment among parents and to create a treatment protocol to inform parents and doctors. Material and Method: The study is designed as a cross-sectional study comparing oral health and malocclusion index of haemophiliac patients with matched healthy subjects. Study and control groups included 58 children from five to fifteen years old. DMFT and dmft indexes were used for caries index; ICON and IOTN indexes and questionnaires were used to evaluate the need for orthodontic treatment. Results: dmft averages of the study group were statistically significantly higher than the control group. The ICON and IOTN averages of the study group were statistically significantly higher than the control group. Conclusions: Parents need to be informed more about the possibility that haemophiliac children may have orthodontic treatment. Preventive and interceptive orthodontic treatments performed in the early period are of great importance. Paediatric dentists must have the knowledge for treatment of these patients.