Abstract

GARCIA GARCIA, V.J.; USTRELL TORRENT, J.M.  and  SENTIS VILALTA, J.. Evaluation of malocclusion, functional and oral habits alteration in a school student population: Tarragona and Barcelona. Av Odontoestomatol [online]. 2011, vol.27, n.2, pp.75-84. ISSN 2340-3152.

Background: Etiology of malocclusion may be multifactor and difficult to classify during the development of the individual. The aim of this study is to identify the malocclusion characteristics in a school student population and find the possible relation with functional and oral habit alteration. Material and method: 1270 individuals representative of the school population of Catalonia were studied: 596 boys and 674 girls between 6 and 14 years. Information was obtained through medical records and questionnaires. A mixed observational-descriptive transversal study has been done in the period between 2006 and 2007 that was selected by a non-probabilistic convenience sampling. Interexamination calibration was preformed. Results: 1051 schoolchildren were included in the study with a mean age of 9.32 years. 72.8% presented as Angle Class I, 19.0% and 5.2% Class II / 1 and II / 2, respectively and 2.9% Class III. Nail biting habit was the most frequent habit with 46.4%. The highest level of functional limitation was tonsils hypertrophy with 21.2%. There is a statically significant relationship between sagittal malocclusion and respiration type and tongue mobility, and between horizontal malocclusion and digital suction and tongue mobility (p<0.05). Conclusions: The diagnosis of functional disorders and oral habits can be a warning of the presence of malocclusion.

Keywords : Malocclusion; oral habits; functional alteration; prevalence; schoolchildren.

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