No abstract

The purpose of this work was to examine whether the clinical eruption of the permanent first molars and incisors is affected by pre-term birth. The data applied to 328 prematurely born white and black children and 1804 control children who participated in the Collaborative Perinatal Project (USA) in the early 1960s and 1970s. The dental examinations had been performed in a cross-sectional manner at ages varying from 6 to 12 years in 95 per cent of cases (range 5-14 years). Dental casts were placed in matched pairs by sex, race and conceptional age for comparison of the four clinical stages of eruption of the permanent incisors and first molars between the pre-term and control children. The results showed significantly (P < 0.05) earlier tooth eruption in the pre-term children. The findings suggest that the eruption process is earlier in those teeth that go through a sensitive period circumnatally, being at the pre-eruptive stages and entering the first phases of mineralization under the influence of various neonatal systemic factors and accelerated growth period (catch-up growth) with related unknown mechanisms, which may influence the eruption of the permanent incisors and first molars in prematurely born children.

The aim of this investigation was to examine the effect of pre-term birth on sagittal occlusal relationships. The subjects were 328 prematurely born white and black children and 1804 control children who participated in the cross-sectional study of the Collaborative Perinatal Project (USA) in the early 1960s and 1970s. Dental examinations, including dental casts and photographs, were performed at the age of 6-12 years. The sagittal occlusion of the permanent molars and the canine relationship was recorded by examining and measuring the hard stone casts. The pre-term and comparison groups were divided by sex and race. A significantly greater prevalence of pre-normal canine relationships was found in the pre-term group than in the controls (P < 0.001). The incidence of a bilateral symmetrical canine relationship was 60.3 per cent in both the pre-term and control groups, but in the pre-term group the girls had better symmetry than the boys. Asymmetry occurred significantly more often on the left side (P < 0.001), especially in the control boys, but this was not so clear in the pre-term group. The prevalence of mesial molar occlusion was greater in the pre-term group. These results suggest that premature birth and the consequent exceptional adaptation from intra- to extra-uterine nutrition may influence dental occlusal development. This emphasizes the importance of early functional activity and differences in masticatory muscle activity and the largely unknown phenomenon of early catch-up growth. Individual differences in neonatal factors, in the need for intubation and other medical care are also of importance. Pre-term birth may also interfere with the development of symmetry and lateralization.