Association between dental caries and malocclusion in primary school children

Abstract

Aim: The aim of study was to describe the occlusal characteristics of pre-school children with high caries experience and study the possible association between caries and malocclusion. Materials and Methods: The study sample consisted of 38 healthy children (22 boys, 16 girls) aging 4-6 years, attending to Istanbul University, Faculty of Dentistry, Pediatric Dentistry Clinics. The Ethics Committee of Istanbul University, Faculty of Dentistry approved the study (2019/7). Inclusion criteria were as follows: 1. Children without premature loss of primary teeth, 2. Children with no erupted permanent teeth, 3. Children with dmft ≥4. The dmft value, molar relationship, overjet, overbite, openbite, malocclussion, crossbite and dental arch shape were determined. X2 test and correlation analysis were used in the comparison of data (p<0.05). Results: The mean±SD dmft values for 4-5-6 year-olds were 8±2.3, 7.9±3.6 and 8.55±3.9, respectively. The mean±SD dmft value of girls (9.18±3.91) was higher than boys (7.27±2.45), (p <0.05). The molar relationship, flush terminal plane was represented by 60.5% (n=23) of all children, followed by distal step (13.15%, n=9), mesial step (23.68%, n=5) and bilateral asymmetry (2.6%, n=1). The canine relationship, Class I was represented by 63.1% (n=24) of the sample, followed by Class II (26.3%, n=10), Class III (5.3%, n=2) and Mixed type (5.3%, n=2). In the sample, 50% of the children had increased overjet and 57.9% of them had an increased overbite. A percentage over 7.9% of the sample had an anterior openbite. The prevalence of diastema was 76.3% and posterior crossbite among the samples was 5.3%. The predominant dental arch form found was Ushaped. Conclusion: Although the high caries incidence did not appear to be associated with alterations of occlusal characteristics in primary dentition, the developmental changes occurring in occlusion between primary and early permanent dentition is crucial for early preventive, interceptive treatments.