Severe
Early Childhood Caries (ECC) and Effect on Growth
This
project aims to examine the impact of severe early childhood caries
(S-ECC) and of a subsequent, comprehensive, dental intervention on growth.
Further, we will evaluate whether delays in treatment further retard
growth patterns, compared to children without early childhood caries
(ECC). Early childhood caries (ECC) is a form of rampant decay of the
primary dentition that is distinguished by the specificity of tooth
surfaces involved and the rapid progression of carious lesions on those
surfaces that are considered, otherwise, to be at low risk for decay.
For this project, children with S-ECC are defined as children with at
least three smooth surface carious lesions, including at least one pulpally
involved tooth. In addition, we will focus our study on children with
S-ECC who have no other chronic medical problems and who have not previously
received invasive dental treatment (i.e., treatment other than diagnostic
and preventive care). We will also use a group of comparison subjects
for this study. Comparison subjects are defined as healthy, caries-free
children who do not have S-ECC that are matched 1:1 with S-ECC children
based on age (in months) and gender. Comparison subjects will be selected
from the same clinical populations during the same time period to ensure
comparability to S-ECC children with respect to parents' education,
self-reported ethnicity, and insurance status. If we are unable to identify
and recruit appropriate age-matched comparison subjects under age 3
from the dental clinics, subjects will be recruited from children who
are scheduled for a well-child clinic examination at the same institutions.
Finally, because treatment is often delayed due to imbalances between
resources and demands in clinics providing care for these children,
we will also have an opportunity to study the impact of delayed treatment
in these children.
