Métodos de estabilização protetora utilizados em crianças não colaborativas: revisão crítica da literatura

Abstract

Uncooperative behavior in children during dental treatment can be caused by fear, anxiety, or emotional immaturity, which can interfere with pediatric dental treatment. Different approaches to child behavior are available in pediatric dentistry, and protective stabilization is one of them. It is important for professionals to be familiar with these techniques so that they can provide appropriate, safe clinical care that does not have a negative impact on the child's future behavior or health. In view of this, the present critical review of the literature aimed to describe protective stabilization used in pediatric dentistry, its indication, acceptance, and ethical context. To this end, searches were conducted between September and October 2024 for studies published on the same topic and indexed in the following databases: National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health (PubMed) and Google Scholar, using the following keywords in the search: child* or “paediatric dentistry” or “pediatric dentistry” and “protective stabilization” or “medical immobilization.” Ten eligible studies were identified in Pubmed and 8 eligible articles in Google Scholar. The following data were extracted: author, year and location of the study, study design, research subject, age group of interest, study objective, type of protective stabilization described, main results, and conclusions regarding protective stabilization. It can be concluded that non-advanced child behavior management techniques are better accepted than advanced ones. The use of protective stabilization is still controversial, and many taboos are involved in its use in dental practice. Decision-making involves a complex interaction between the guardian, the patient, and the professional. Ethical and legal issues must be considered, and when the technique is used, a consent form must always be employed.