[Dental malocclusion in children: warning signs]

WARNING SIGNS. Dental malocclusions are common, and can be dental, skeletal and/or functional. Detecting these pathologies earlier is a signal to remove these causing factors, and act in favor of an harmonious growth of the jaws and the face. The dental alert signs include abnormalities of shapes, numbers, positions and eruption delay. Arch length discrepancy is due to a problem of teeth positions on the arch, resulting in overlaps or in interdental spaces. Dento-skeletal abnormalities are also to be analysed in the three space dimensions: the sagittal direction looks for a jaw too much projected forward or backward, the vertical and transverse directions evaluate mainly the recovery of the upper on the lower teeth and the absence of a narrow maxilla. The functional examination aims to check the stop of sucking habit after 3 years old, the ability of a good nasal breathing and a good swallowing. These disorders, in addition to the aesthetic consequences, lead primarily to temporomandibular joint disorders, masticatory and digestive disorders, ventilatory and obstructive sleep apnea, and dental and periodontal problems. These disorders are mainly fixed by the growth potential of the child, functional rehabilitation or using orthopedics or orthodontics appliances.