Child maltreatment syndrome and its diagnosis in dentist´s office

Abstract

Introduction: since the earliest times, child abuse has been a form of subjection, disciplinary action and exploitation; Medicine and Psychology deal with its many aspects, but the study plans of Stomatology hardly mention it, so that often the buco-facial injuries caused by child abuse are not identified in the stomatological office.

Objective: to characterize, in a summarized and structured form, the buco-facial lesions indicative of child maltreatment, as a reference material for Stomatology specialists.

Method: the bibliography on the subject available in databases and Internet collections (PubMed, SciELO, CUMED and EBSCO) was reviewed for the last five years; a review was prepared based on the selected articles.

Development: among common buco-facial lesions in abused children identify bruises, scratches and ecchymoses in non-prominent areas (ears, cheeks), periorbital bruises (image mask), bites and burns. The blows in the mouth to silence the child and the forced introduction of objects cause typical oral lesions (fractures, lateral dental luxations, laceration of the inner mucosa of the upper lip and close to the frenulum, upper incisor marks on the inside of the lips and avulsions); the presence of erythema in the line between the soft and hard palate, or laceration of the lingual frenulum, may indicate a fellatio.

Conclusions: most of the buco-facial injuries in children victims of abuse are related to physical punishment and family neglect; the signs of maltreatment are easily identifiable by a stomatologist prepared for the purpose.