The Dental Management of Pediatric Patient Diagnosed with Myasthenia Gravis: A Case Report

Abstract

Myasthenia gravis (MG) is a rare autoimmune neurological disorder characterized by muscle weakness and can vary in severity from the mild form that affects the ocular muscles only to the generalized form that affects the other muscle groups. The prevalence of MG is 150 to 200 per million population over the past 50 years, and approximately 10% of these cases are pediatric patients where the disease onset starts before the age of 18 years. The etiology of MG is due to the blockage of neuromuscular transmission by circulating autoantibodies targeting mainly the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (AChR) and associated proteins in the postsynaptic membrane of skeletal muscles. In MG patients, dental treatment is challenging due to the nature of the condition and its complexity. Moreover, dentists treating MG patients should acquire knowledge about the disease background and the special considerations that need to be taken. In this case report, our aim was to raise awareness about MG among dentists and discuss the dental management of the patients who have this disease and the precautions that should be taken. This case report presents a pediatric MG patient with poor oral hygiene, multiple decayed teeth, dental fluorosis, tongue thrust oral habit that led to anterior open-bite and uncomplicated crown fracture of the upper permanent central incisors. The decision was made to treat the patient under general anesthesia because of the medical condition and the extent of the dental treatment. In the process of preparing the patient for surgery, the patient was cleared from the treating physicians and was admitted under neurology care as per the primary physician. On the day of surgery, the patient received full-mouth dental rehabilitation under general anesthesia, including pulp therapy, crowns, restorations, and extractions. Furthermore, she was seen regularly in recall visits every 3 months.