Malocclusion in 12-year-old Sudanese children

Malocclusions are generally less common among African and Arab children than Europeans. This difference may be due to racial as well as external and environmental factors. Angle CI. III malocclusion is, however, more common among African and Arab children than in Europeans, whereas the opposite is found for Angle CI. II malocclusions. Space conditions are better in African and Arab than in European populations. The aim of the study was to assess the prevalence of malocclusion in 12 year old Sudanese children using the method for epidemiological registration devised by Björk, Krebs and Solow. The majority of the children had Angle CI. I (normal and malocclusion), followed by CI. II and CI. III malocclusion. Sagittal, vertical and transversal occlusal anomalies were not common. The number of the abnormal conditions found in the survey suggests that public awareness and preventive orthodontics are important fields when the future orthodontic service in Sudan is organized.