title: Prevalence of caries and malocclusion in an indigenous population in Chiapas, Mexico.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the prevalence of caries and malocclusion in Mayan Mexican adolescents, 14-20 years of age, living in Chiapas, Mexico.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a cross-sectional, population-based, quantitative, epidemiological study. Sites were chosen to capture subjects representative of the state's Mayan population. A total of 354 subjects were recruited. Caries experience was quantified, via visual inspection, using the Decayed, Missing and Filled Surface (DMFS) index. Malocclusion was quantified using the Index of Complexity, Outcome and Need (ICON).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our data showed that 99% of the population had caries experience, with a median DMFS score of 8. Of the 99% with caries experience, over half had caries affecting more than five tooth surfaces. Thirty-seven per cent of the students had unmet orthodontic treatment need, and 46.46% presented a Class II, and 39.09% a Class III, anterior-posterior relationship.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Less than 1% of the population had any exposure to orthodontics, demonstrating the lack of access to care. Likewise, only 1% of the population was found to have no caries experience, exhibiting a large unmet treatment need. The median DMFS score of 8 was also high in comparison with the median DMFS in the USA of 6. Our data suggest a correlation between the lack of access to care and high prevalence of caries and malocclusion in Mexican Mayans who inhabit Chiapas, Mexico.
authors.affiliation: San Francisco School of Dentistry, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Kjeld
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Aamodt
authors.affiliation: San Francisco School of Dentistry, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Oscar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Reyna-Blanco
authors.affiliation: Universidad de Montemorelos, Zaragoza, Montemorelos, Nuevo León, Mexico.
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sosa
authors.affiliation: San Francisco School of Dentistry, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hsieh
authors.affiliation: Dr. Eduardo Aguirre Pequeño y Siloa Col. Mitras Centro, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico.
authors.forename: Myriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De la Garza Ramos
authors.affiliation: Dr. Eduardo Aguirre Pequeño y Siloa Col. Mitras Centro, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico.
authors.forename: Martha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Garcia Martinez
authors.affiliation: San Francisco School of Dentistry, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Maria Fernanda
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Orellana
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004245:DMF Index; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology; D016021:Epidemiologic Studies; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D061326:Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need; D007198:Indians, North American / Q000208:ethnology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008310:Malocclusion / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology; D008312:Malocclusion, Angle Class II / Q000453:epidemiology; D008313:Malocclusion, Angle Class III / Q000453:epidemiology; D008800:Mexico / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D020380:Needs Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D024343:Open Bite / Q000453:epidemiology; D057887:Overbite / Q000453:epidemiology; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Dental caries; dental public health; epidemiology; malocclusion