Oral lesions due to child abuse. Identification of the problem and role of the professional.

Violence in the family setting is a serious social problem of obliged concern to all health professionals. The victims are mainly children, women and the elderly. Due to the defenselessness characterizing childhood and the requirements of Spanish law, the dentist must be aware of the magnitude of the situation in order to act in favor of the affected child. The problems encountered in this aspect comprise physical abuse, sexual abuse, physical neglect, emotional abuse and emotional neglect. Any of these problems can have irreversible consequences for the psychological and physical development of the child. A review is made of the characteristic orofacial lesions that should alert dental professionals to the possible existence of abuse, with a discussion of the approach to be adopted within the context of current legislation.