title: Prevalence of myopia in a population with malocclusions.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of myopia among a paediatric population with  malocclusions.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 322 consecutive patients of the department of Orthodontics and  Gnathology, Dental Clinic, University of L'Aquila, were enlisted for the study and 292 were selected according to the  exclusion criteria. Pretreatment diagnostic data, which included radiographic cephalometric and dental cast evaluation, were  recorded and presence of myopia was assessed through an ophthalmological examination. Differences in the prevalence of  myopia by sex and malocclusion were analysed by using  Pearson's chi-square and Fisher's exact tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  According to the sagittal malocclusion, patients were classified as Class I (N=162), Class II division 1 (N=75), Class II  division 2 (N=38), or Class III (N=12). No gender influence was found for myopia or malocclusion. No differences were  recorded when analysing the influence of sex on the prevalence of myopia in classes of malocclusion. A statistical  significant higher prevalence was found for subjects showing myopia in Class II division 1 malocclusion, while no other  significant differences were found for prevalence in the other classes of malocclusions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Few studies  investigated a possible relationship between the ocular and stomatognathic system, and no data are available in the  scientific literature. A higher prevalence of myopia was found in patients with Class II division 1: as expected no other  significant association was found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings of the present study suggest a possible association between  myopia and Class II, but further studies are needed to confirm and explain this observation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences, School of Dentistry, University of L'Aquila, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Monaco
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sgolastra
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cattaneo
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Petrucci
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Marci
authors.forename: P D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: D'Andrea
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gatto
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008310:Malocclusion / Q000150:complications; D008312:Malocclusion, Angle Class II / Q000150:complications*; D009216:Myopia / Q000150:complications*; D017678:Sex Distribution