OCCLUSOPATHIES IN CHILDHOOD: etiology, oral manifestations and treatments literature review

Abstract

Occlusopathies are a set of deviations in dental alignment that occur in the relationship between the jaw bones and in the dental arch, with a high prevalence rate in the first part of childhood. It is stated that it is extremely important to understand the etiology of occlusopathies to prevent or intercept these deviations, as there are many difficulties encountered in the treatment to correct future problems. The general objective of this work is to evaluate in pre-existing literature the relationship between harmful childhood habits and occlusopathies, what oral manifestations are like and how they can be treated, taking into account their high prevalence rate. Among the main harmful habits that cause childhood malocclusion are: lack of or early interruption of breastfeeding, use of pacifiers, digital sucking and prolonged use of a bottle. Childhood occlusopathies can be considered a public health problem, and it is extremely important that parents/guardians have access to more information.