Predicting the Development of Maxillofacial Anomalies in Young School-Age Children

Abstract

Recent studied have pointed out an increase in the prevalence of maxillofacial anomalies, and the rates of their occurrence rate in children of different regions of Ukraine is an evidence of the polyetiologic nature of this pathology. The formation and development of the human body is predetermined by a number of factors including parental genetic characteristcs, the state of mother's health, and the course of pregnancy that, in turn, is amenable to the influence of some external factors, e.g. social, hygienic, environmental and others. The purpose of the work was to develop an algorithm and a technique for predicting the development of maxillofacial anomalies in young school-age children. The study of the health status of children with maxillofacial anomalies included a retrospective analysis of conditions during perinatal development by reviewing data from obstetric and perinatal records (74 children). The control group consisted of 67 children who had no maxillofacial anomalies. Social, hygienic, environmental, medical and biological factors were investigated in the families having the children with and without maxillodental anomalies. On the basis of the data collected, a matrix for predicting the development of maxillofacial anomalies in young school-age children was compiled. The retrospective analysis of 74 children has shown that the risks we predicted are confirmed in 92.4% of cases. The remaining 7.6% can be explained by the combination of various adverse factors in the postnatal period, such as bad habits, modes of baby's nutrition, etc. The results obtained have demonstrated the highest values ​​of relative risks are due to the factors known as leading in the development of maxillodantal anomalies: heredity (34.6 and 34.3), large foetus (35.3). Applying this prediction algorithm to each newborn makes it possible to evaluate the risks of maxillodental anomalies and to carry out preventive and corrective measures in early period to prevent the onset and development of maxillofacial anomalies.