Relationship between Dental Occlusion and Maximum Tongue Pressure in Preschool Children Aged 4–6 Years

Abstract

Tongue function is regarded as a primary factor in the etiology of malocclusion, but details of the relationship remain unknown. The purpose of the present study was to investigate maximum tongue pressure, in preschool children to examine its relationship with dental occlusion. A total of 477 healthy children (248 boys, 229 girls, aged 4–6 years) were recruited. Dental occlusion was assessed visually to record sagittal, vertical, and transverse malocclusion, and space discrepancies. Maximum tongue pressure was measured using a balloon-based tongue pressure measurement device. Additionally, 72 children (37 boys, 35 girls, aged 4–5 years) were recruited for a 1-year follow-up study. Approximately half of the children (53.5%) showed some type of malocclusion in the present study. Maximum tongue pressure was highest in the 6-year-old children. The results of a two-way ANCOVA show that the effect of age was significant (p < 0.001); however, the effects of sex and dental occlusion, or the interactions among these variables, did not reach significance. Additionally, maximum tongue pressure increased significantly in the 1-year follow-up study (p < 0.001), especially in the normal occlusion group. Maximum tongue pressure increases markedly with growth in the preschool years and can be associated with some types of malocclusion in preschool children.

Related factors and characteristics of malocclusion in preschool children aged 3–6 years

“…However, no children exhibited transverse malocclusion in the present study, although several children had a lateral edge-toedge bite, which was not included in the malocclusion criteria. These ndings were consistent with our previous study [29]. Although Asians generally have a low prevalence of posterior crossbite and scissors bite [6,30], further investigation is necessary to clarify the detailed prevalence in larger samples.…”

“…In study, 62.0% of the preschool children showed some type of malocclusion. The prevalence of malocclusion in this general age group is reported to be diverse throughout the world, ranging from 45.5% to 83.9% [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12]29]. Additionally, excessive overjet and deep overbite recorded the highest prevalence in the present study, which was consistent with our previous study and previous studies globally (excessive overjet: 10.2%-46.1%, deep overbite: 6.05%-41.5%) [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12]29].…”

“…Dental occlusal assessment was performed as follows based on the method proposed by the Japanese Society of Pediatric Dentistry (2015, Tokyo, Japan), with an additional assessment, as well as our previous study [29]. In the assessment of sagittal malocclusion, anterior crossbite was de ned as negative overjet of at least one incisor (< 3 incisors: mild; > 3: moderate), and excessive overjet was de ned as excessive increased overjet (> 4 mm).…”

“…The prevalence of malocclusion in this general age group is reported to be diverse throughout the world, ranging from 45.5% to 83.9% [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12]29]. Additionally, excessive overjet and deep overbite recorded the highest prevalence in the present study, which was consistent with our previous study and previous studies globally (excessive overjet: 10.2%-46.1%, deep overbite: 6.05%-41.5%) [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12]29]. However, no children exhibited transverse malocclusion in the present study, although several children had a lateral edge-toedge bite, which was not included in the malocclusion criteria.…”

Incompetent lip seal and nail biting as risk factors for malocclusion in Japanese preschool children aged 3–6 years

“…For reliable analysis, we required at least 10 events of the primary outcome measure per variable, that is, 90 events for 9 variables [35]. Given a prevalence of malocclusion in Japanese preschool children of 53.5% [29], the required sample size was 169 or more. All data were analyzed using IBM SPSS statistics version 28.0.1.0.…”