Assessment of Orthofacial Analysis in Indigenous Tribes: A Cross-Sectional Study

Area of Science:

• Oral health research
• Anthropology
• Public health

Background:

• Indigenous tribes, specifically the Narikurava in Chennai, represent a unique population for health studies.
• Understanding oral health and facial aesthetics in these communities is important for comprehensive health assessments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the prevalence of malocclusion and facial symmetry within the Narikurava indigenous tribe.
• To analyze the relationship between gender and facial aesthetics in this population.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional survey was conducted involving 121 individuals from the Narikurava tribe.
• Malocclusion was categorized into normal, Class 1, Class 2 (division 1 and 2), and Class 3.
• Facial symmetry and facial aesthetic index were recorded for all participants.

Main Results:

• Normal occlusion was observed in 33.9% of individuals, followed by Class 1 occlusion (31.4%).
• Class 2 division 2 malocclusion was the least prevalent at 9.1%.
• Males exhibited a higher prevalence of normal occlusion compared to females.

Conclusions:

• The study highlights the prevalence of various malocclusion types and normal occlusion within the Narikurava tribe.
• Facial aesthetics and occlusion patterns vary between genders in this indigenous population.
• Findings contribute to understanding the oral health status of indigenous communities in urban settings.