Fixed Bridge Prostheses Management of Epileptic Patients

Abstract

Background: Epileptic patients in the course of seizures may suffer damage to or loss of teeth and other oral tissues. Moreover, they are at great risk during their seizures from aspiration of foreign bodies such as removable dental prosthesis or fragments of prosthesis. It is therefore, necessary to provide them a tooth replacement option that would be safe and not constitute a source of danger in the course of seizures.
Case Reports: Two patients are presented in this report that lost teeth as a consequence of trauma sustained during seizures. They both had porcelain-fused-to-metal (ceramo-metal) fixed bridge prostheses fitted to replace the missing teeth. The fixed bridges have been in service for seven years without damage despite the fact that the patients still have seizures at the same frequency as prior to treatment that are often associated with trauma to oral tissues.
Conclusion: Fixed bridge prostheses are a viable tooth replacement option for epileptic patients that do not pose any additional danger of being dislodged, swallowed or aspirated in the course of a seizure.

Keywords: Epilepsy, dental management, fixed bridge prosthesis