Abstract
The global pandemic outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has put the world in a panic situation. It has been evident that the geriatric population is more susceptible to acquire this infection. Thus, due to this ongoing crisis, geriatric individuals cannot visit a dental operatory, and there is the possibility of their dental needs and emergencies to remain unattended. Partial or complete edentulism is very prevalent among the geriatric population, and prosthodontic management of these patients is essential for their well-being. However, the prosthesis can lead to various emergencies of the oral and its supporting structures. There are currently no available recommendations to address these prosthodontic emergencies in geriatric individuals during this pandemic period. Hence, the aims of this minireview were to discuss the common prosthodontic emergencies in the geriatric population and provide recommendations to manage these issues during the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak.
Highlights
The public health crisis has evolved rapidly with the outbreak of novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Wuhan, China [1], and exponentially, it has spread to all parts of the world
The use of single-use and/or disposable instruments and devices is recommended to minimize the cross-contamination of COVID-19 in the dental operatory
The global pandemic outbreak of COVID-19 has increased the likelihood that the dental care professional should take precautionary measures to minimize the spread
Summary
The public health crisis has evolved rapidly with the outbreak of novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Wuhan, China [1], and exponentially, it has spread to all parts of the world. The fractured fixed partial prosthesis can cause emergency conditions if the geriatric patient presents with underlying tissue impingement and pain [24]. Mechanical emergencies prevent a patient from using their prosthesis due to loss of retention of the attachment system [25] caused by problems with the components in the denture and fracture of the acrylic denture base. Based on signs and symptoms, patients are divided into five groups (See Footnote 1) [(i) asymptomatic/unsuspected/unconfirmed COVID-19 cases, (ii) symptomatic and suspected/unconfirmed COVID-19 cases, (iii) stable confirmed COVID-19 cases, (iv) unstable confirmed COVID-19 cases, and (v) recovered confirmed COVID-19 cases]
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