Rango de movimientos mandibulares en niños de seis años de edad con dentición mixta temprana

Abstract

Measurement and examination of mandibular movements are procedures considered within any clinical diagnosis. Reports on these ranges are quite widespread for adult patients, but little has been written on the subject when dealing with children. The aim of the present study was to determine range of mandibular movements in six year old schoolchildren in Mexico. Data were collected on 52 six year old children. In this sample, 52% were female and 48% male. With the χ2 goodness of fit test to uniform distribution or equal proportions, differences between the following categories were examined: opening pattern, midline deviation and deviation in opening and closing. It should be noted that for the present test zero frequency category was excluded from the opening pattern. Due to the breach of normality assumption, Wilcoxon test was used for dependent samples in the comparison of unassisted and assisted maximum opening, t test for dependent samples was used to compare left and right laterality. Opening patterns differed significantly (χ2=60.9231, p < 0.0001, gL=3) straight 71.1%. Uncorrected right lateral deviation 0%, right corrected «S» deviation 13.5%; uncorrected left lateral deviation 1.9%, and corrected left «S» deviation 13.5%. Average of non assisted maximum opening was 35.00mm when compared to maximum assisted opening which was 39.11mm (T=0, p < 0.0001). ConclusionRange of observed mandibular movements in Mexican six year old children with primary mixed dentition was different from same- age children in other regions. This was probably due to the fact that ranks were under the influence of craniofacial, weight, height and size characteristics of each different population.