title: Prevalence of Occlusal Traits in the Deciduous Dentition of Children of Kaski District, Nepal.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The prevalence of occlusal traits varies among various populations. Ethnic, genetic and environmental factors are the major contributors, with a role in the specific cause of malocclusion. The aim of this epidemiological study was to assess the prevalence of occlusal traits in the deciduous dentition of children of Kaski District,Nepal.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 506 children (251 girls, 255 boys), aged 3-5 years, were assessed. The occlusion examination was carried out by three examiners, in the school camps,community dental care centre and general health camps, utilizing a mouih mirror and probe. Intra investigator error was calculated using kappa statistics. The data were analyzed by the statistical program SPSS version 17 using the Chi-square test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The present study studied occlusal traits of 506 children (251 girls, 255 boys), aged 3-5 years. The study result showed that bilateral mesial step seen in 40.3%,bilateral flush terminal plane in 33.5%, bilateral distal steps in 8.5%,mesial step one side and flush terminal other side in 12.7%,mesial step one side and distal step other side in 2.6%,flush terminal one side and distal step other side in 2.4%,anterior crossbite in 3%,posterior crossbite in 0.4% and non-spaced dentition in 20% children.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mesial step was the most prevalent followed by straight terminal plane and the distal terminal plane showed least prevalence. There were diverse traits for malocclusion. There was no significant difference(p>0.05) in occlusal traits between male and female children.
authors.affiliation: Anatomy department, B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, Nepal.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Baral
authors.affiliation: Department of prosthodontics, KantipurDental College, Kathmandu, Nepal.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Budathoki
authors.affiliation: Dental Department, Nepal Army Medical College, Kathmandu, Nepal.
authors.forename: K G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Bhuju
authors.affiliation: Department of Pedodontics, B.P. Koirala Institute of Health sciences, Dharan, Nepal.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Koirala
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003753:Dental Health Surveys / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003766:Dental Occlusion; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008310:Malocclusion / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D009390:Nepal / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012571:School Dentistry / Q000458:organization & administration*; D014094:Tooth, Deciduous
keywords: crossbite; distal step; flush terminal plane; mesial step; occlusion.