Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatric Dentistry, School of Dentistry, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences

Abstract

Statement of Problem: Unfortunately, a proportion of children in our country have signs and symptoms of mental or physical retardation caused by different factors such as congenital diseases, psychiatric problems, pregnancy accidents, parents age and intra familial marriages. So, providing dentistry services for this group is usually difficult.Purpose: The aim of this type of physical restraint which is a combination of the previous known devices fabricated in Shiraz Dental School was to control and improve dental treatment for the handicapped children.Description: The different types of physical restraint devices from the simple primitive to the last advanced one were evaluated here and the advantages and disadvantages of each type were reviewed. After fabrication of the physical restraint device which can control the head, body and extremities separately, dental treatment was done for two equal groups of 20 handicapped children by 20 dentists. The first group was treated using the physical restraint and the second group without the device. The result was then compared from the point of view of the parents and the dentists.Conclusion: It can be stated that using physical restraint devices specially the last advanced types can be considered as an effective method in dental treatment of handicapped children. Comfort and positive attitudes of children, parents and finally the dentists are provided as a result of a better control of the children on dental unit chair with fabrication of the new type of the device in Shiraz Dental School. The physical control of the patients would be achieved more effectively and comfortably by this device which was shown clearly in its evaluation too. Key words: Physical restraint, Mental and physical retardation, Parents, Dentists