title: Malocclusions and non-nutritive sucking habits: a preliminary study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study investigated the non-nutritive sucking habits in a sample of patients with malocclusions at the Unit of Pediatric Dentistry of the "Sapienza", University of Rome.
  
  
  METHODS
  81 children (average age 5.9 years) were examined from January to December 2008. All children showed typical malocclusions that could be associated with non-nutritive sucking habits (pacifier or finger). Increased overjet (OVJ), anterior openbite (OPB), and posterior crossbite (CRB) were recorded in this survey. A questionnaire was directed to parents.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At the first examination 40.4% of pacifier users over 24 months were affected by an anterior OPB, 50% by a posterior CRB and 39.4% by an increased OVJ. Moreover, 40.4% of the children with finger or thumb sucking behavior were affected by an anterior OPB, 29.2% by a posterior CRB, and 42.4% by an increased OVJ.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  No statistically significant associations could be detected between the non-nutritive sucking habits and the malocclusions. There was no difference in type of habit in children who presented an anterior OPB, while there was a higher prevalence rate of children with a posterior CRB who had sucked the pacifier and of children with increased OVJ who had sucked their finger.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillo-Facial Sciences, Director Prof. A.Polimeni, Unit of Paediatric Dentistry, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy. v.luzzi@tiscali.it
authors.forename: Valeria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Luzzi
authors.forename: Marinella
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Guaragna
authors.forename: Gaetano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ierardo
authors.forename: Matteo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Saccucci
authors.forename: Giuliana
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Consoli
authors.forename: Anna Rita
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Vestri
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Polimeni
mesh_terms: D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005386:Fingersucking / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D024343:Open Bite / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D057887:Overbite / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D041361:Pacifiers / Q000009:adverse effects; D010865:Pilot Projects; D015995:Prevalence; D013391:Sucking Behavior