Quality therapeutic strategies in Pediatric Dentistry: Cerebral Palsy

BACKGROUND: We understand Cerebral Palsy as a neurodevelopmental disorder with multiple etiological factors and heterogeneous clinical manifestations. This condition affects movement, posture, balance, and growth-development process in children. Nowadays perspective is to define it as a Motor Functional Diversity, where a multidisciplinary team of medical specialties will enhance the quality of life of those children who present this medical and social condition. Pediatric Dentistry must be a medical specialty that brings excellent treatments to help the healthy development of children with Cerebral Palsy. OBJECTIVE: To propose valuable strategies for the promotion of quality and optimal attention in Pediatric Dentistry for patients with Cerebral Palsy, and to define the medical and social condition for the knowledge of the multidisciplinary team. CONCLUSIONS: Optimal oral health instruction and maintenance are fundamentals for well-being and growth-development process in children with Cerebral Palsy, with benefits for them and their families. In Pediatric Dentistry, specialists have the duty to be informed and to be participative in order to contribute improving the well-being of patients with special health care needs.