Transtorno do espectro autista e o manejo odontológico: uma revisão integrativa

Abstract

Introduction: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurological condition that affects communication, social interaction and can generate repetitive behaviors. Patients with ASD face challenges in the dental field due to clinical and behavioral complexity, and despite advances, the management of these patients is still a major challenge in dental practice. Objective: To analyze scientific productions on dental management in Autism Spectrum Disorder, in light of the current literature. Methodology: an integrative descriptive and qualitative literature review was carried out in the main electronic databases in order to answer the following questions: What are the difficulties and potentialities encountered by professionals in the dental management of people with ASD? Are professionals trained to serve this population? What are the scientific findings in the literature on the technologies used in the dental management of patients with ASD? Results and discussion: Based on the descriptors used, 96 articles were identified, through the application of the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 10 studies were initially selected. After the full analysis of the articles read, eight studies were selected for inclusion in this review. Final considerations: The dental management of individuals with ASD, especially children, is challenging due to cognitive, behavioral, and sensory variations, requiring multidisciplinary and multiprofessional approaches. Inadequate understanding on the part of professionals can hinder the effectiveness of the care provided. Future research should explore communication strategies, behavioral interventions, professional training, family experiences, and the use of assistive technologies to improve the dental management of the population with ASD.