La diagnosi precoce della sclerosi sistemica progressiva

BACKGROUND: The study considers the oro-facial manifestations occurring in a group of patients suffering from progressive systemic sclerosis, evaluating their predictive role and monitoring the systemic disease. METHODS: 34 patients with systemic sclerosis were examining: 30 women, 4 men, at the Department of Dental Sciences, Palermo University, from July 1998 to March 2001. All patients were positive for the diagnostic criteria of scleroderma.1 For each patient we considered: observation of any changes in soft tissues of the oral cavity; evaluation of possible xerostomia; evaluation of any fungal infections; presence of prosthetic sores in patients wearing dentures; DMFS evaluation; evalua…