Preventive measures in Dentistry and the modernization of the orthodontics appliances led adult patients to seek orthodontic treatment to improve their appearance and social acceptance, as well as function and oral health. Adult patients present some peculiarities such as periodontal disease and tooth loss which complicates the mechanotherapy, requiring a multidisciplinary team and a more complex mechanics. Thus, the aim of this study was to verify the proportion of young and adult patients who started orthodontic treatment in the period from 2000 to 2010, as well as the total percentage, and to correlate male and female values. The sample of 3,272 patients was divided into three groups according to the age: up to 20 (group 1), from 20 to 40 (group 2) and above 40 years-old (group 3), according to gender. It was found that most patients were young (group 1: 71.85%). However, the number of adults from 20 to 40 years-old represents a considerable share of 26.52%. Above 40 years-old, 1.61% patients sought for orthodontic treatment. If we consider the patient in the age-range above 20 years-old as adult, there was a considerable increasing in the values from 12.14%, in 2000 to 27.81% in 2010, especially in females (31.26%), mainly in groups 2 and 3, showing that dental aesthetics is an important factor for the individual social insertion.

RESUMOO objetivo deste trabalho foi verificar a prevalência das maloclusões em crianças pré-escolares, das escolas de Lavrinhas, SP, para se conhecer os problemas ortodônticos mais frequentes, permitindo a orientação adequada. Exames clínicos de 257 crianças foram realizados por meio da visualização dos arcos dentários em oclusão, relacionando-os aos critérios adotados para classificar as oclusões normais, os problemas transversais, verticais, sagitais e de espaço. Os dados obtidos foram tabulados e submetidos à análise estatística descritiva (%) e teste de correlação de Pearson (5%). Um alto índice de maloclusão (91,05%) foi encontrado, além de correlação negativa (r=-0,189) e estatisticamente significante (p=0,002) entre cárie e diastema, e entre ausência de maloclusão e cáries (r=-0,668; p=0,0001); e correlação positiva (r=0,418) e estatisticamente significante entre Classe II e mordida aberta (p=0,0001), atresia e mordida cruzada (r=0,425; p=0,0001); atresia, mordida cruzada e mordida aberta (r=0,235; p=0,0001) e Classe II, mordida aberta, atresia e cruzamento (r=0,443; p=0,0001). Os resultados demonstraram a necessidade de instituição de tratamento ortodôntico, além de orientações adequadas de higienização, nutrição e da remoção de hábitos parafuncionais. A integralização da ortodontia nos serviços públicos de saúde é importante e, quando iniciada em fase precoce, possui custos mais baixos viabilizando um possível tratamento. Palavras-chave: ortodontia preventiva, maloclusão, epidemiologia. MALOCCLUSION PREVALENCE IN PRESCHOOLERS' CHILDREN INMUNICIPALITY OF LAVRINHAS, SP ABSTRACTThe aim of this study was to verify the prevalence of malocclusion in all preschool aged children in the municipality of Lavrinhas, SP, to know the most common orthodontic problems thus allowing proper orientation. Clinical examinations of 257 children were performed by viewing the dental arches, relating them to the criteria used to classify normal occlusion, transversal, vertical, sagittal and space problems. Data were tabulated and submitted to descriptive statistical analysis (%) and Pearson correlation test (0.05). A high incidence of malocclusion (91.05%) was found as well as negative correlation (r=-0.189) and statistically significant (p=0.002) between cavity and diastema, and between the absence of malocclusion and caries (r=-0.668; p=0.0001); and positive correlation (r=0.418) and statistically significant association between open bite and Class II (p=0.0001), atresia and crossbite (r=0.425; p=0.0001); atresia, cross and open bite (r=0.235; p=0.0001) and Class II, open bite, atresia and crosses (r=0.443; p=0.0001). The results demonstrate the need for establishment of orthodontic treatment, and appropriate guidelines for hygiene, nutrition and the removal of deleterious habits. The payment of orthodontics in public health services is important and, when initiated at an early stage (preventive/interceptive), has much lower costs enabling a possible treatment.