Readiness for Oral Examination and Polishing in Persons with Autism Spectrum Disorders

<p>This study attempted to identify the primary factors determining the adaptability of persons with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) when undergoing oral examinations and polishing using a rotary engine. The subjects were 90 people with ASD who visited the Nishio Municipal Special Needs Dental Clinic or Yokosuna Dental Clinic from April 2019 to March 2023 for the first time.</p><p>The study was planned as a prospective design. The calendar age, gender, developmental age, presence of strong behavioral disorders, disability characteristics, past dental treatment experience, and medical treatment experience were investigated. Thirteen steps of training from “getting out of the car” to “intraoral examination” and “polishing by rotary engine” were performed, and the subjects’ behavior was observed and evaluated. The analysis methods used were Fisher’s direct probability calculation or χ² test and decision tree analysis.</p><p>The factors that were found to be most predictive of the adaptability to oral examination and polishing were calendar age, developmental age in six developmental areas, severe behavioral disorder, “strong preoccupation,” “strong meal-related disorder,” “marked hyperactivity,” severe behavioral disorder total score, “stereotypic behavior,” and “strange voice.” The criterion for determining the suitability of oral examination and polishing in persons with ASD were as follows：the developmental age of the fields of basic habits and language comprehension was 3 years and 2 months or older. Those with disability characteristics and those who had experienced suppressive treatment tended to be unable to adapt. When treating persons with ASD, it is considered important to take disability characteristics into consideration in addition to developmental age and to avoid making them feel uncomfortable.</p>