Occlusal Characteristics and Spacing in Primary Dentition: A Gender Comparative Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Context. Occlusion in primary teeth varies among children of different populations and races. Aim. To assess and compare the occlusal characteristics and spacing in primary dentition among 3–6-year-old Dravidian children. Materials and Methods. The study included 2281 school going children. The primary molar relation, canine relation, overjet, and overbite were assessed using Foster and Hamilton criteria. Spacing conditions were registered according to Kisling and Krebs criteria. Results. The flush terminal plane molar relation (80.3%) was the most common primary molar relation. The distal step molar relation was more frequently found in female children (12.8%) than in males (8.6%). Class 1 canine relation was the most prevalent canine relation (81.3%) among males and females. Ideal overjet (84.3%) and overbite (72.7%) were observed among the majority of the children. Spaced type of arches occurred more frequently than closed arches in this sample. The incidence of primate spaces was more in males than in females. Conclusion. The study population has fewer deviations from normal occlusion which indicates decreased tendency for malocclusion in permanent dentition. However, further longitudinal studies are necessary to identify the potential limitations of a clinical approach relying on early orthodontic diagnosis and intervention.

Occlusal characteristics including spacing among preschool children: a cross-sectional study

“…This study showed Class I canine relationship to be the most common in more than half of the children while the least common was the class III canine relationship among 19% children. Similar findings was seen in studies conducted by Bahadure et al 12 , Shah et al 6 and Vegesna et al 3 while contradictory findings were reported in Finnish children where class II canine relationship was found to be more common. 13 In this study majority 77% of the children had ideal overjet ,increased overjet was found among 17.4% while 5.6 % had reverse overjet which were in agreement to studies done by Oteyumi et al 10 , Shah et al 6 .…”

“…As seen in the study, Ideal overbite was seen among majority (78%) of the children, various studies showed similar findings. 3,6 Only four (0.9%) children in the study had anterior openbite as reported in other study done in Tanzanian and Finnish children (8%). 14 The study has few limitations as data could have included specific sides, and in detail findings as per arch wise, gender wise for spacing.…”

“…The anteroposterior relation of maxillary and mandibular permanent molars is an important criterion for recognition of malocclusions which determines the necessity of interceptive orthodontics. 3 Study on the occlusal characteristics in deciduous dentition in Nepalese population is limited. Proper prediction of the occlusion plays a pivotal given by Baume 2 while the canine relation, overjet, overbite was assessed using Foster and Hamilton criteria 4 with the teeth in centric occlusion.…”

Primary second molar relations in preschool-aged children

“…The second elderly molar relation is also called the terminal plane, the mesiodistal relation between the distal surface of the upper and lower jaw molars of the upper jaw which is assessed when the primary tooth is in the centric occlusion position. 5,[7][8][9][10]22,24 The relation can be classified into three types according to Baume, which are flush terminal plane, mesial step, and distal step. 16 This study focuses on the examination of the second primary molar relationship performed when the tooth is in centric inclusion position by using an intraoral mirror.…”

“…The inclusion criteria of the study subjects were, preschool age students in four State Kindergarten of Banda Aceh, with parents were willing to sign informed consent, and the first teeth were still complete; none of the missing primary teeth. 5,10,22,23 Criteria exclusion of the study is a subject of research that is not willing to follow the research and if the subject has mesial step occlusion on one side and the other side has a distal occlusion step.…”