Malocclusion in 12-year-old suburban and rural Nigerian children

There is little information about occlusal patterns in suburban and rural Nigerian populations. This survey was initiated to assess and compare malocclusion in 12-year-old primary school children residing in two communities of Ile-Ife (suburban) and Imesi-Ile (rural). Five hundred and seventy-four children were randomly selected comprising equal numbers of children from the two populations. They were examined using modified criteria described by Bjork, Krebs and Solow (1964). No significant differences were found between genders and in antero-posterior dental arch relationship. Crowding and spacing were more prevalent in suburban than rural children with anterior crowding significantly higher in the suburban than the rural population. Crossbite was not a common occlusal feature. There were however statistically significant differences in overjet, and overbite values in children from both populations (P < 0.001).