Oral Health Status of Children With a History of Liver Transplantation

TL;DR

This study finds that children who had liver transplants show delayed dental development compared to healthy children, despite similar rates of tooth decay.

Contribution

The study identifies dental age delays in liver transplant recipients, emphasizing the need for integrated dental and medical care.

Findings

No significant differences in dental caries prevalence between liver transplant and healthy control groups.

Children with a history of liver transplantation showed a statistically significant delay in dental age.

Regular dental follow-ups after transplantation may moderate oral health outcomes.

Abstract

Chronic liver disease (CLD) in children imposes a significant health burden that impacts their development. This study aims to investigate how dental health outcomes change after liver transplantation in children, focusing particularly on the post‐transplant period, examining the effect of immunosuppressive therapy, dental and skeletal anomalies in this patient group, caries experience, and dental age‐related factors, and to develop targeted interventions for these problems.

The prevalence of dental caries, the presence of odontogenic anomalies, the presence of jawbone anomalies, the need for periodontal treatment, the need for orthodontic treatment, and dental age were evaluated.

Fifty children (aged 6–12 years) with CLD and fifty healthy controls participated in the study.

The analysis revealed no significant differences between the groups in terms of dental caries prevalence, presence of odontogenic anomalies, or jawbone anomalies. However, a statistically significant difference was found in dental age. While the analysis revealed no significant differences in dental caries prevalence between the groups, it is important to consider the possible moderating role of regular dental follow‐ups after transplantation.

These findings offer valuable insights for dental professionals and pediatricians managing children with CLD. Future research with a larger sample size could further explore the association between CLD and dental age while investigating the potential influence of factors such as disease severity and medication use on oral health.

This study examines the oral health of children who have undergone liver transplantation, highlighting dental development delays despite similar caries rates compared to their healthy peers. Findings emphasize the need for integrated dental‐medical care, focusing on dental age assessment and early intervention to optimize oral health outcomes in this vulnerable population.

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