Executive Function as a Risk Factor for Incisor Trauma

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Dentistry
• Developmental Psychology
• Trauma Research

Background:

• Executive function, the ability to guide behavior towards goals, is crucial for task completion.
• Incisor trauma is a common dental injury in children.
• The Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF®) Parent Form assesses executive function in children.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between executive function, assessed by the BRIEF® Parent Form, and incisor trauma in children.
• To identify risk factors for incisor trauma in the mixed dentition stage.

Main Methods:

• A case-control study comparing children with recent incisor trauma (n=28) to a control group (n=30).
• Parents completed the BRIEF® Parent Form, and clinical examinations assessed occlusal relationships.
• Statistical analyses included Fisher Exact and unpaired t-tests to compare groups.

Main Results:

• The trauma group showed a higher prevalence of Class II dental relationships (p=0.01).
• Significant differences were found in clinically significant BRIEF® scores for Inhibit (p=0.05), Emotional Control (p=0.02), and Behavioral Regulation Index (p=0.02).
• No significant differences were observed in global executive function scores, age, gender, or medical history.

Conclusions:

• Class II dental relationships and engagement in outdoor activities are associated with increased incisor trauma risk.
• Specific executive dysfunctions, including impulsivity and emotional dysregulation, may elevate the risk of incisor trauma in children.