The relation of severe malocclusion to patients' mental and behavioral disorders, growth, and speech problems

Severe malocclusions appear in up to 20 per cent of the population. Many neuropsychiatric diseases are likely to have a neurodevelopmental, partially genetic background with their origins as early as fetal life. However, the possible relationship between neurodevelopmental disorders and severe malocclusions is unclear. The aim of this study was in a population-based setting (270 000 inhabitants) to investigate whether patients with severe malocclusions have more mental and behavioural disorders and growth or speech problems than controls without severe malocclusion.

The study group consisted of patients from the Espoo Health Care Center, Finland, born in year 2000, who were retrospectively screened for their medical and dental records, including their possible mental and behavioural disorders (i.e. attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, Asperger's syndrome, autism, mood disorder, or broadly defined behavioural abnormalities, learning problems, mental disorders, sleep disturbances, anxiety symptoms, depressive symptoms, and eating-related symptoms) and their need of orthodontic treatment according to the Treatment Priority Index (TPI). The study group consisted of a severe malocclusion group (n =1008; TPI 8-10) and a control group (n = 1068) with no severe malocclusion (TPI 0-7).

Patients with severe mandibular retrognatia (P < 0.000), lip incompetence (P = 0.006), or neurodevelopmental disorders (mental and behavioural; P = 0.002) were found to have significantly more speech problems than the controls. The patients with severe malocclusions were leaner, that is, body mass index (kg/m2) <17, underweight; 17-25, normal weight; >25, overweight) than controls (P = 0.003), and underweight patients had a significant association with retrognathic maxilla (P < 0.000) compared to normal or overweight patients. No significant relationship between neurodevelopmental disorders and severe malocclusions, that is, retrognatia of maxilla, hypodontia, and severe dental crowding was observed.

Our results indicate that patients with severe mandibular retrognatia, lip incompetence, or neurodevelopmental disorders were found to have significantly more speech problems than controls. During orthodontic treatment of patients with severe malocclusion, special attention should be paid to patients with severe mandibular retrognatia, lip incompetence, and speech problems to detect signs of possible neurodevelopmental disorders and record if potential follow-up measures are in place.