Background:
Etiology of malocclusion can be the cause of deviation in the skeleton, dental, and soft tissue development in children. Identifying etiology of malocclusion and dominant orthodontic problems as well as early detection could help in future effective treatment, management, and public health planning.
Materials and Methods:
A cross-sectional study was performed among 202 children. Consensus process was carried out between experienced orthodontic experts in etiology of malocclusion, dominant orthodontic problems, type of early treatment, and malocclusion severity. Fisher’s exact test and descriptive statistics were used to explain the study results.
Results:
Etiology of malocclusion was detected in both congenital and acquired etiology (64.3%), followed by acquired etiology only (29.7%). The top three dominant orthodontic problems were caries (22.5%), early loss of primary tooth (15.6%), and tendency of crowding in permanent dentition (14.6%). Nearly all the children needed restoration (86.4%) and interceptive orthodontic treatment (69.3%), whereas severe malocclusion level was found in one-fourth of the children (26.0%). Statistical significance was found between type of early treatment and malocclusion severity (
P
< 0.001).
Conclusion:
Acquired etiology was very high. Caries and early loss of primary teeth were dominant orthodontic problems. An early treatment, especially preventive orthodontic treatment, was needed in almost all children. Malocclusion severity higher than moderate level was found in more than half of the children.
Aims
This study aims to find the prevalence of orthodontic treatment need and malocclusion problems in 8–9-year-old schoolchildren in the south of Thailand.
Materials and Methods
A number of 202 children (100 boys and 102 girls) samples were randomly selected from all schools in Hat Yai District, Songkhla Province, Thailand. A cross-sectional survey of dental health component (DHC) of the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (IOTN) and malocclusion problems was investigated by clinical examination and dental model.
Results
Levels 4 and 5 of orthodontic treatment need according to DHC of IOTN of the sample were presented in 18.8% and 1.49%, respectively. Children who need orthodontic treatment (Grade 2–4) showed more than one highest DHC problem that indicated the level of treatment need (39.68%). Normal occlusion was found at 6.43%. Malocclusions such as Class I, Class II division 1, Class II division 2, and Class III malocclusion were observed in 78.71%, 7.92%, 3.47%, and 3.47%, respectively. Reversed overjet and overjet >9 mm were detected in 5.64% and 1.58%, respectively. Approximately half of the children (46.67%) had overbite >3.5 mm.
Conclusions
High percentage of children in mixed dentition period who need orthodontic treatment was found in this study. Some children who presented with the orthodontic treatment need Grade 2–4 had more than one DHC problem which identified the grade of treatment need. Class I malocclusion was most frequently found in this group of children.
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