• Suwimol Pitiparnich

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a multiple organ disease. Recently, it was regarded as an autoimmune disease of unknown origin. SSc is characterized by fibrosis of several organs resulting in physical and functional abnormalities of the affected tissues. The patients who were paraorally affected by this disease always experience poor oral hygiene. Because of the decrease in maximum mouth opening caused by fibrosis of paraoral structures, the dental treatment in these patients is hard to perform. In this paper, a case of paraorally affected systemic sclerosis with severe dental problems is reported. The characteristics of the disease, the given full mouth dental treatment and the appropriate oral hygiene instruction to the patient are described in detail. Review of the literatures of systemic sclerosis is also included.

(CU Dent J 2002;25:19-25)