Orthodontic anomalies in primary and permanent dentition--a longitudinal study

Area of Science:

• Dentistry
• Orthodontics
• Human Growth and Development

Background:

• Dental occlusion classification is crucial for orthodontic diagnosis and treatment planning.
• Understanding changes in occlusion from primary to permanent dentition is essential for predicting long-term outcomes.
• Orthodontic anomalies present in primary dentition require longitudinal monitoring to assess progression.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the stability and changes in dental occlusion classes (Class I, II, III) during the transition from primary to permanent dentition.
• To analyze gender-specific differences in occlusion changes over this developmental period.
• To compare the stability of different occlusion classes.

Main Methods:

• Longitudinal study design involving 246 children (132 boys, 114 girls) with orthodontic anomalies in primary dentition.
• Subjects were monitored by the same orthodontist from primary to permanent dentition without early orthodontic intervention.
• Occlusion classes were assessed and compared between the two dentition periods.

Main Results:

• 71.9% of children exhibited no changes in their occlusion class between primary and permanent dentition.
• In boys, Class I occlusion changes were insignificant; 25.0% shifted to Class II and 4.2% to Class III.
• Girls showed a significant decrease in Class I occlusion (32.9% changed), with 28.9% moving to Class II and 3.9% to Class III. Class II malocclusion demonstrated greater stability than Class I.

Conclusions:

• Dental occlusion is relatively stable for the majority of children during dentition development.
• Girls are more susceptible to developing Class II malocclusion from Class I compared to boys.
• Class II malocclusion appears more stable during dentition development than Class I occlusion.