Georeferencing of adolescents with malocclusion in a capital of Southern Brazil

Objective: The aim was to evaluate the prevalence of malocclusion traits altogether and separate in anterior open bite, accentuated overjet and posterior cross-bite, and the possible association between them and sucking habits and breastfeeding. Methods: A preschool-based cross-sectional study was conductedwith 472 children aged 24-60 months and their parents (response rate 86.6%). Three trained dentists (Kappa > 0.70) examine children for anterior open bite, accentuated overjet and posterior cross-bite and parents answered a questionnaire indicating the presence of breastfeeding, bottle usage, pacifier usage, fingersucking and the length of usage of all these habits. Results: The prevalence of malocclusion traits was 38.8%, Accentuated overjet was the most prevalent (30.3%) followed by posterior cross-bite (8.9%) and anterior open bite (7.4%). The unadjusted Poisson regression showed that children who were not breastfed had 63.0% more prevalent malocclusion traits when compared with those who were breastfed (RP 1.63, 95%CI 1.06-2.50). Length of pacifier usage in months was the only habit remained in the adjusted model associated with anterior open bite (RP 1.10, 95%CI 1.05-1.14, p < 0.000) and accentuated overjet (RP 1.03, 95%CI 1.01-1.05,p = 0.004). For posterior cross-bite none habit showed association in the adjusted model. All models were adjusted for age and sex. Conclusion: Accentuated overjet is the most prevalent malocclusion trait. Length of pacifier usage is associated with the presence of malocclusion traits, anterior open bite and accentuatedoverjet. None of the investigated habits is associated with posterior cross-bite. 

The prevalence of certain malocclusion traits in an Australian adult population was examined in a sample of 113 female and 103 male adult subjects aged between 18 and 64 years (average age = 38.1 years). If cross-sectional studies of younger population groups are to be used for research into the long-term physiological effects of malocclusion, it is essential to know if certain and specific malocclusion traits are stable over time. In this cross-sectional study, the prevalence of many malocclusion traits did not change; however, with advancing age, the incidence of posterior crowding, posterior rotations, posterior crossbite and anterior irregularity increased significantly.

Orthodontic treatment experience and prevalence of malocclusion traits in an Icelandic adult population

Background:Identifying occlusal status in a particular population will be valuable in planning the appropriate preventive and treatment programs. The purpose of this study was to assess the status of occlusion among school children in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.Materials and Methods:This study was conducted at Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from September 2012 to June 2013. A total of 1825 Saudis (1007 males and 818 females) of 12-16 years old were randomly selected from 20 schools in different areas of Riyadh city to determine the status of their occlusion. The examiners assessed molar and canine relationships, spacing and crowding, overjet, overbite, anterior and posterior cross bite. These occlusal parameters were examined by two experienced examiners using a mouth mirror, small light source and calibrated fiber ruler.Results:About 60.11% of Saudis presented with Class I molar relationship while 7.12% and 10.13% of the subjects had Class II and III molar relationship, respectively. The most prevalent canine relationship was Class I (54.13%), followed by Class II (12.4%) and Class III (11.2). Normal overjet and overbite were observed in 76% and 67% of the sample, respectively. The prevalence of malocclusion traits were crowding (45.4%), Spacing (26.9%), excessive over jet (16.4%), posterior cross bite (8.9%), anterior open bite (8.4%) and excessive overbite (6.68%). No statistically significant differences were found between the genders about the prevalence of any occlusion traits (P > 0.05).Conclusion:Class I molar relationship, normal overbite, and normal overjet were dominant features among Saudis. Crowding was the most prevalent malocclusion trait, followed by spacing. These findings will help in understanding the occlusion status in order to plan for prevention and treatment of malocclusion in Riyadh city.

To determine the prevalence and gender distribution of malocclusion in 13-15-year-old adolescents of Dravidian ethnicity, residing in urban and rural areas of Kerala, South India. A total of 1554 children (779 males, 775 females), from both urban and rural areas were examined in school settings. Survey proforma for personal details and occlusal registration according to Bjork et al. (1964) were used. Chi-square test was used for analysis. Overall prevalence of malocclusion was 89.9% which included Angle's Class I, Class II (17.6%) and Class III (8%) malocclusions. Other anomalies detected were increased overjet (11.8%), anterior crossbite (27.5%), anterior open bite (1.6%), posterior crossbite (5.1%), scissor bite (4.4%), midline deviation (6.8%), bimaxillary protrusion (BMP-21.3%), crowding (66.6%), spacing (15.3%), rotations (45.4%), ectopic eruptions (11.1%), peg laterals (2.4%) and missing teeth (6.6%). Males showed a higher predilection for increased overjet, deep bite, spacing and missing teeth. Class III, BMP, midline deviations and rotations were found to be more prevalent among the rural group, whereas Class II, increased overjet, deep bite and ectopic eruptions were more prevalent among the urban. Information regarding the detailed pattern of malocclusion prevalence and the high prevalence of BMP among South Indian population of Kerala may provide a baseline data for planning orthodontic services.

To study the prevalence of different malocclusion traits in Najran in Saudi adolescents and adults seeking orthodontic treatment in Najran in Saudi Arabia. Two hundred and fifty male patients in the age group of 12-35 years who visited faculty of dentistry in Najran University for orthodontic treatment were examined and were divided into two age groups, adolescents and adults. The patients were examined and classified into Class I, Class II, and Class III malocclusions. They were also examined for overjet, overbite, open bite, crossbite, scissor's bite, crowding, and spacing. The prevalence of Angle's malocclusion Classes I, II, and III was 52.8%, 31.6%, and 15.6%, respectively. The most common anomaly was moderate overbite followed by lateral open bite. Posterior crossbite was found to be more prevalent than anterior crossbite. Angle's Class I malocclusion was most prevalent type, followed by Class II, and then Class III. The findings of this study can be used to formulate an appropriate preventive and orthodontic treatment measures pertaining to the population of adolescent and adult Saudi males.

The present review was aimed to describe the prevalence and the regional distribution of malocclusion among preschool children worldwide. Two independent reviewers performed a systematic literature search to identify English publications from January 2010 to May 2024 using PubMed, ISI Web of Science and Embase. Search MeSH key words were "malocclusion", "primary dentition" and "child, preschool". The reporting quality was assessed by the modified Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale. We identified 2599 publications and recruited 47 articles. Fourteen of the included studies were conducted in Asia, four in Europe, twenty-eight in South America and one in Africa. The prevalence of malocclusion ranged from 28.4% to 83.9%, and half of the reported prevalences were higher than 50%. The highest percentage was in Asia (61.81%), followed by Europe (61.50%), South America (52.69%) and Africa (32.50%). Statistically significant differences existed in deep overbite, anterior open bite, posterior crossbite, edge-to-edge incisor relationship and distal step between continents (p < 0.05). Europe showed the highest prevalence (33.08%) of deep overbite. Africa showed the highest prevalence (18.60%) of anterior open bite. Europe showed the highest prevalence (15.38%) of posterior crossbite. The most common malocclusion traits were increased overjet and deep overbite. To conclude, malocclusion remained prevalent in the primary dentition and varied between countries.

The aim of this longitudinal study was to compare the prevalence of malocclusion at ages 3 and 7 years in a sample of children, exploring the hypothesis that prevalence of malocclusion is higher at 3 than at 7 years of age and may be influenced by sucking habits. The study sample comprised 386 children (199 girls and 187 boys), aged 3 years at study start, sourced from three Public Dental Service clinics in Sweden. Malocclusion was diagnosed by clinical examination, using a specific protocol. Data on allergy, traumatic injuries, sucking habits, and breathing pattern including nocturnal breathing disturbances were obtained by means of a questionnaire answered by child and parent in conjunction with the initial and final clinical examination. The overall prevalence of malocclusion decreased significantly, from 70 to 58% (P < 0.0001): predominantly anterior open bite, excessive overjet, and Class III malocclusion. Although high rates of spontaneous correction were also noted for deep bite, Class II malocclusion and posterior and anterior crossbites, new cases developed at almost the same rate; thus, the prevalence was unchanged at the end of the observation period. Anterior open bite and posterior crossbite were the only conditions showing significant associations with sucking habits. The results confirm the hypothesis of higher prevalence of malocclusion at 3 years of age and clearly support the strategy of deferring orthodontic correction of malocclusion until the mixed dentition stage.

INTRODUÇÃO: A má oclusão, definida como alteração do crescimento e do desenvolvimento que afeta a oclusão dentária, é considerada um problema de saúde pública, pois apresenta alta prevalência e interfere negativamente na qualidade de vida das pessoas. OBJETIVO: Avaliar a prevalência de más oclusões em escolares de 7 a 9 anos de idade do Pólo 1 da Rede Municipal de Ensino de João Pessoa-PB. MATERIAL E MÉTODO: Foi realizado um estudo transversal com 162 escolares, selecionados de forma probabilística, de ambos os gêneros. Dentre as características da oclusão, foram observados: relação molar de Angle, sobressaliência, sobremordida, mordida aberta anterior, mordida cruzada e apinhamento. Os dados foram coletados por examinador calibrado (Kappa = 0,93), organizados em programa SPSS 13.0 e submetidos à análise descritiva e ao teste Qui-quadrado, com nível de significância de 5%. RESULTADO: 89,5% dos escolares apresentaram algum tipo de má oclusão; 48,1% da amostra foi classificada como tendo relação molar de Classe I, 32,1% Classe II e 17,9% Classe III. O apinhamento foi a má oclusão mais frequente (67,3%), seguido da sobressaliência acentuada (48,8%), sobremordida acentuada (41,9%), mordida cruzada posterior (11,7%), mordida cruzada anterior (11,7%) e mordida aberta anterior (11,7%). A mordida cruzada posterior foi estatisticamente mais frequente no gênero masculino e a sobressaliência acentuada apresentou associação com a Classe II de Angle. CONCLUSÃO: A população em tela apresentou alta prevalência de alterações oclusais, o que indica a necessidade de intervenção precoce, seja com programas preventivos e educativos, seja com programas de assistência.

Oral health-related quality of life in patients with cleidocranial dysplasia: Impact of malocclusion traits and treatment modality.

Prevalence of malocclusions in children with microcephaly associated with the Zika virus

Objective The aim of the study was to examine the prevalence of malocclusion traits and the extent of orthodontic treatment in a Finnish adult population. Materials and methods The study population comprised subjects (n = 1964) from the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966 living in the city of Oulu and within 100 km of it. A clinical oral and dental examination with registration of occlusion was carried out in 2012 in connection with a 46-year follow-up survey. Data on previous orthodontic treatment were collected based on a questionnaire. Results In the clinical examination, 39.5% of the subjects had at least one malocclusion trait. The most common malocclusion traits were lateral crossbite (17.9%), overbite ≥ 6 mm (11.7%) and overjet ≥ 6 mm (9.7%). Crossbite on the left premolars, negative overjet and increased overbite were found more frequently in men. The prevalence of malocclusion traits was at the same level in treated and untreated groups. Overall, 18.6% of the subjects had undergone orthodontic treatment. Women showed a significantly higher prevalence of orthodontic treatment. Conclusions The most common malocclusion trait in the present study was lateral crossbite. Significant male dominance in the prevalence of malocclusion was observed, which has not been reported earlier in Finland. Orthodontic treatment of malocclusion traits was more common among females in Northern Finland. This study indicates that orthodontic treatment provided in childhood was, on average, adequate in reducing malocclusion traits to the level observed in the general population.

Objective: This systematic review aimed to synthesize longitudinal evidence on the natural changes in orthodontic treatment need among children and adolescents, with a specific focus on identifying malocclusion traits that demonstrate a potential for spontaneous correction over time. Methods: A systematic search was conducted across PubMed/MEDLINE, SienceDirect, Cochrane Library and Google Scholar from inception to November 2025, following PRISMA guidelines. Eligible studies were longitudinal cohorts assessing children and adolescents in mixed or early permanent dentition, with no prior orthodontic treatment at baseline. Outcomes included changes in treatment need measured by indices like the Dental Aesthetic Index (DAI) or Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (IOTN), and observed self-correction of specific malocclusion traits. Risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Results: Four prospective cohort studies (n=1,253 participants) were included. The evidence revealed a non-linear trajectory of malocclusion prevalence, characterized by an initial decrease from primary to mixed dentition, followed by an increase in early permanent dentition. Despite this, a net decrease in treatment need was observed for many individuals during the transition from mixed to permanent dentition, with one study reporting decreased DAI scores for 60.8% of children. High rates of spontaneous correction were documented for specific traits: anterior open bite (87-99%), Class II malocclusion (83%), and unilateral posterior crossbite (83%). Nevertheless, a persistent, clinically significant treatment need remained, with 22% of 11.5-year-olds classified as having severe or extreme need. Conclusion: Orthodontic treatment need in children is dynamic, not static. While significant self-correction occurs for traits like anterior open bite and posterior crossbite, a substantial proportion of children develop a definitive need for intervention by early permanent dentition. These findings underscore the importance of longitudinal monitoring and cautious timing of orthodontic assessments, particularly during mixed dentition when transient traits may overestimate true long-term need.

Prevalence of malocclusion among mouth breathing children: Do expectations meet reality?

The aims of this study were (1) to investigate the relationship between occlusal factors and masticatory muscle tenderness among 10- to 19-year-old (mean 14 years eight months) Turkish subjects and (2) to identify possible sex differences between them. The sample consisted of 716 individuals (355 male and 361 female subjects). Tenderness with palpation of masseter and temporalis muscles and functional manipulation of lateral and medial pterygoid muscles was registered. The examiners recorded the Angle classification bilaterally for molars, presence of anterior and posterior crossbites, excessive overjet, open and deep bites, functional shift, and severity of anterior crowding. Associations between the occlusal factors and muscle tenderness according to sex were evaluated with chi-square analysis. Statistically significant associations were found between masticatory muscle tenderness and all the investigated occlusal factors except posterior crossbite and functional shift. Masseter, medial, and lateral pterygoid muscle tenderness was higher in female subjects. Medial and lateral pterygoid muscle tenderness in Class I cases and masseter and medial pterygoid muscle tenderness in Class II, division 1 malocclusion cases were higher in female subjects (P < .05). In open-bite cases, medial pterygoid muscle tenderness (P < .05), in deep-bite cases, masseter (P < .01) and medial pterygoid (P < .05) muscle tenderness, and in excessive overjet cases, masseter muscle tenderness (P < .05) were also higher in female subjects. These results suggest that greater masticatory muscle tenderness in female subjects may contribute to the greater prevalence of temporomandibular disorders in them.