Abstract
BackgroundBreastfeeding produces beneficial effects on a baby’s early growth and development, and general well-being. Some studies have associated breastfeeding with better occlusal development. The aim of this study was to assess the long-term effect of breastfeeding on occlusal development in children.Material and MethodsA retrospective cohort study was conducted to evaluate the occlusions of 320 children belonging to the Spanish INMA Project cohort, monitored from gestation onwards. The association between the duration of breastfeeding and different occlusal traits in mixed dentition (overjet, overbite, openbite, midline displacement, incisor crowding, incisor spacing, diastema, maximum maxillary and mandibular irregularity, anterior and posterior crossbite) at the age of 9 was assessed, as well as the orthodontic treatment need as determined by the “Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need” and the “Dental Aesthetic Index”.ResultsA statistically significant association between the duration of breastfeeding and posterior crossbite was found. The Odds Ratio for posterior crossbite was 2.52 (IC 95% 1.34-4.74) for children breastfed up to 16 weeks, 0.56 (IC 95% 0.29-1.08) for children breastfed 16 to 45 weeks, and for more than 45 weeks of breastfeeding it was 0.50 (IC 95% 0.19-1.32). No association was found between breastfeeding and the other examined occlusal traits, nor with the orthodontic treatment need.ConclusionsBreastfeeding for less than 4 months increases the risk of posterior crossbite. However, breastfeeding duration is not linked to other malocclusion traits nor is it linked to the orthodontic treatment need of nine-year-old children. Key words:Breastfeeding, occlusion, malocclusion, dental development.
Highlights
The WHO recommends exclusive breastfeeding during the first six months of life, as this reduces the risk of infectious diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and the respiratory system
The aim of this study is to investigate the influence of breastfeeding on the occlusion, which is a subject of current debate in the scientific literature
To evaluate the association between breastfeeding duration in weeks, occlusal traits and orthodontic treatment need, the participants were divided into 3 groups: Group 1, Group 2 (16 - 45 weeks of breastfeeding) and Group 3
Summary
The WHO recommends exclusive breastfeeding during the first six months of life, as this reduces the risk of infectious diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and the respiratory system. For the child to obtain milk during breastfeeding the stimulation of tongue and peribuccal muscles is required, whereas less effort is required for bottle-fed children to obtain milk, causing less stimulation of the orofacial structures [3]. For these reasons, breastfeeding could promote better occlusal development in primary dentition and the correct growth of the orofacial structures, and this effect could extend through into the mixed dentition stage. The aim of this study was to assess the long-term effect of breastfeeding on occlusal development in children. Breastfeeding duration is not linked to other malocclusion traits nor is it linked to the orthodontic treatment need of nine-year-old children
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