Early childhood caries : a case report of an extensive rehabilitation

Abstract

Early Childhood Caries (ECC) can be defined as the presence of one or more carious lesions, cavitated or not, in children up to five years of age. Presence of bacterial plaque, poor oral hygiene, frequency and time of consumption of beverages containing sugar are among the risk factors. Unfortunately, ECC has a major impact on the child's quality of life, causing pain, early tooth loss, malnutrition, delayed growth and development, difficulty in chewing, speech problems, general health disorders and psychological problems. This paper presents a case report of a 3-year-old male patient, diagnosed with ECC and describes the therapeutic approach that ranges from effective measures to control caries activity, rehabilitative and restorative treatment, to changing of the eating habits and oral hygiene of the child.