Prevalence of malocclusion among Latino adolescents

Although numerous studies have documented malocclusion in various ethnic groups in the United States, the prevalence of malocclusion in the Latino population is not well known. The Latino population may be the largest minority group in the United States by the year 2004. This study analyzes the occlusion of 507 Latino adolescents between the ages of 12 and 18 years. More than 93% of the subjects demonstrated some form of malocclusion. The distribution of malocclusion patterns is presented and contrasted with data published for other ethnic groups. Information about the prevalence and types of malocclusion in the Latino population should be of interest to general dental practitioners and specialists.