New insights in the link between malocclusion and periodontal disease

Abstract

We aimed to investigate associations between malocclusions and periodontal disease by comparing it to that of smoking in subjects recruited from the population-based cross-sectional study "Study of Health in Pomerania." Sagittal intermaxillary relationship, variables of malocclusion and socio-demographic parameters of 1,202 dentate subjects, 20-39years of age, were selected. Probing depth (PD) and attachment loss (AL) were assessed at four sites by tooth in a half-mouth design. Analyses were performed with multilevel models on subject, jaw and tooth level. Distal occlusion determined in the canine region, ectopic position of canines, anterior spacing, deep anterior overbite and increased sagittal overjet were associated with AL (p-value <0.05). Associations between malocclusions and PD: deep anterior overbite with gingival contact (odds ratio [OR]=1.40, 95% CI: 1.08-1.82; p-value=0.0101) and anterior crossbite (OR=1.75, 95% CI: 1.29-2.38; p-value=0.0003). Regarding crowding, only severe anterior crowding was compatible with a moderate to large association with PD (OR=1.93, 95% CI: 0.89-4.20). Compared to smoking, the overall effect of malocclusions was about one half for AL and one-third for PD. Malocclusions or morphologic parameters were associated with periodontal disease.