BMC Oral Health. 2025 Dec 20. doi: 10.1186/s12903-025-06887-2. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Knowledge on the frequency of malocclusion and associated factors allows planning adequate financing in public health care systems for both preventive and treatment measures. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of malocclusion in Polish adolescents (from West Pomeranian region) and perform an analysis across a spectrum of factors, including BMI, parental age and education, maternal smoking during pregnancy, gestational age and Apgar at birth, breastfeeding, bottle feeding, eruption age of deciduous teeth, eruption age of permanent teeth, lingual frenulum and frequency of dental appointments.
METHODS: The study included 738 children aged 12-13 years subjected to a written interview with the parents and a clinical examination by a specialist in orthodontics or pedodontics.
RESULTS: Distal occlusion was found in 22.09%, deep bite was found in 19.92%, dental crowding was observed in 19.51%, crossbite-in 6.23%, anterior open bite-in 1.63%, mesial occlusion in 2.30%, dental spacing-in 2.71%, and scissor bite in 0.68%. The prevalence of malocclusion did not statistically significantly differ between the sexes. A higher proportion of adolescents without malocclusion were children of parents with a higher education level and they visited the dentist more frequently than adolescents with malocclusion. No statistically significant difference was found referring to gestational age at birth, delivery (cesarean or natural), birth weight, Apgar score, maternal smoking during pregnancy, breastfeeding or bottle feeding. Adolescents with malocclusion had fewer permanent teeth erupted. A short lingual frenulum was more prevalent in teenagers with malocclusion. Body height was identified as significant in logistic regression-each additional cm of height resulted in a 3% decrease in malocclusion odds.
CONCLUSION: 1. Malocclusion is highly prevalent among Polish adolescents. 2. Factors associated to malocclusion in adolescents are: parents’ level of education, frequency of dental appointments, short tongue frenulum, number of permanent teeth erupted and body height. 3. Gender, body mass index, feeding practices in infancy, pregnancy and birth condition (Apgar, method of delivery and mother smoking while being pregnant) have no association to malocclusion in 12-13 years old adolescents.
PMID:41422235 | DOI:10.1186/s12903-025-06887-2
