Assessment of risk factors associated with malocclusion among children visiting dental teaching hospital in Islamabad.

Abstract

Introduction: Malocclusion was declared as a third priority prevailing oral health problem by World Health Organization. A timely evaluation of the factors associated with malocclusions in the primary dentition could help in the prevention and better management of occlusion-related complications.

Objectives: This survey explored the frequency of risk factors in association with nonnutritive and oral contributors among children.

Methodology: A pre-validated questionnaire used for this cross-sectional study conducted between October 2019 to December 2019. The study participants were children of age 10 to 16 years visiting orthodontics department of a private dental hospital in Islamabad. Convenience sampling was applied to collect data. Statistically investigation was analyzed through SPSS software version 21. Descriptive analysis involved presentation of frequency and percentages whereas inferential analysis involved chi square association test of demographics with malocclusion risk factors.

Results: Majority of the surveyed children brush teeth once daily. Mixed method of horizontal as well as vertical style of brushing was utilized by 50.5% of the study participants. The hereditary factor from siblings was most frequently reported factor of malocclusion in current investigation. The results also indicate presence of significant association between class I, class II and class III of dental malocclusion and nonnutritive and oral habits among children (P <0.05).

Conclusion: Desire This investigation concluded that gender, age and bad oral habits are strongly associated with malocclusion of teeth. Proper attention from parents for tooth care at early age can decrease the prevalence of malocclusion.

Keywords: Dental malocclusion, oral habits, nonnutritive habits, children.