Background: Idiopathic neuropathy is a peripheral nervous system disorder of unknown etiology. Patients with this disorder often suffer from bruxism problems. Bruxism is defined as an oral parafunction characterized by occlusal contacts resulting from non-physiological, repetitive, and involuntary masticatory motor activities. These events can trigger accentuated wear of the tooth structure leading to sensitivity. Tooth sensitivity is the pain arising from the exposed dentin in response to chemical, thermal, tactile, or osmotic stimuli that cannot be explained as the result of any other dental defect or disease. Sensitivity treatment using adhesive systems has a long-term or permanent effect. Therefore, this article is aimed at describing the management of dental sensitivity, through dentin sealing and resin coating techniques, during the dental restoration process of a child with idiopathic neuropathy and dental attrition in the anterior sector. All of this, with the consideration of using the minimal intervention philosophy.
Case presentation: A 6-year-old male patient diagnosed with idiopathic neuropathy and suffering from multiple dental attritions with dental sensitivity in the upper anterior teeth. With the clinical-radiographic evaluation, the family history, and the interconsultations with the neuropaediatrics service, the definitive diagnosis of dental sensitivity due to stage-3 moderate attrition was obtained, for which rehabilitation of the upper anterior sector was planned through the use of immediate dentin sealing (IDS) and resin coating (RC).
Conclusion: The use of IDS and RC techniques shows acceptable sensitivity, which is why these techniques are recommended in cases of moderate attrition in early mixed dentition. The immediate rehabilitation along with the stamping technique improved the aesthetic and functional aspects. Therefore, it is advisable to use them immediately after dentin sealing.
Keywords: bruxism; dental adhesives; dentin sensibity; pediatric dentistry.
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