title: Anterior open-bite and sucking habits in Italian preschool children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the consequences of prolonged sucking habits on the development of the orofacial complex in deciduous dentition.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was carried out involving 235 preschool children. A questionnaire for children parents and clinical examinations were carried out by calibrated blinded examiners. The chi-square test and the T-Student test were used for statistical analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of non-nutritive sucking habits (NNSH) in the sample was 74%. Anterior open-bite (AOB) was detected in 18%, and it was significantly related to non-nutritive sucking habits, bottle-feeding (only in the 3-year-old group) and persistent use of pacifier (p<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  NNSH and type of feeding were important contributing factors in the development of anterior open-bite in deciduous dentition.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthodontics, School of Dentistry University of Genoa, Genova, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Silvestrini-Biavati
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthodontics, School of Dentistry University of Genoa, Genova, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Salamone
authors.affiliation: University of Cagliari, School of Orthodontics.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Silvestrini-Biavati
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthodontics, School of Dentistry University of Genoa, Genova, Italy.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Agostino
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthodontics, School of Dentistry University of Genoa, Genova, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ugolini
mesh_terms: D001903:Bottle Feeding / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005386:Fingersucking; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D024343:Open Bite / Q000453:epidemiology*; D041361:Pacifiers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015995:Prevalence; D014094:Tooth, Deciduous