Nonnutritive sucking habits in Brazilian children: effects on deciduous dentition and relationship with facial morphology.
This study assessed the relationship between nonnutritive sucking habits, facial morphology, and malocclusion in 3 planes of space (transverse, vertical, and anteroposterior) in 330 Brazilian children (4 years of age) attending state schools in the city of Recife, Brazil. The data were collected by interviews with the children's mothers or minders and by clinical examinations carried out by a calibrated examiner (kappa = 1). The chi-square test, Fisher's exact test, and multivariate analysis were used for statistical analysis. The prevalence of malocclusion in the sample was 49.7%, according to occlusal classification, and 28.5% of the children had 2 or 3 factors contributing to their malocclusion. Posterior crossbite was detected in 12.1%, anterior open bite in 36.4%, and increased overjet in 29.7%. A significant association was found between malocclusion and sucking habits (P <.001). Most of the children had a high facial skeletal pattern, although no association was found between facial morphology and malocclusion. The results draw attention to the magnitude of the problem in childhood and emphasize the need for longitudinal studies to support clinical practice guidelines for the target population.
Katz
Cintia Regina Tornisiello
CR
Pernambuco School of Dentistry, Pernambuco State University, Rua Mamangiape 518, apto 2102, Boa Viagem, CEP 51020-250 Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil. cintiakatz@uol.com.br
Rosenblatt
Aronita
A
Gondim
Pedro Paulo Costa
PP
D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002508:Cephalometry; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006184:Habits; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008310:Malocclusion / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008445:Maxillofacial Development / Q000502:physiology*; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D015995:Prevalence; D013391:Sucking Behavior; D014094:Tooth, Deciduous; D014716:Vertical Dimension