Abstract

FRAZAO, Paulo; NARVAI, Paulo Capel; LATORRE, Maria do Rosário Dias de Oliveira  and  CASTELLANOS, Roberto Augusto. Are severe occlusal problems more frequent in permanent than deciduous dentition?. Rev. Saúde Pública [online]. 2004, vol.38, n.2, pp. 247-254. ISSN 0034-8910.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0034-89102004000200014.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence and severity of occlusal problems in populations at the ages of deciduous and permanent dentition and to carry out a meta-analysis to estimate the weighted odds ratio for occlusal problems comparing both groups. METHODS: Data of a probabilistic sample (n=985) of schoolchildren aged 5 and 12 from an epidemiological study in the municipality of São Paulo, Brazil, were analyzed using univariate logistic regression (MLR). Results of cross-sectional study data published in the last 70 years were examined in the meta-analysis. RESULTS: The prevalence of occlusal problems increased from 49.0% (95% CI =47.4%-50.6%) in the deciduous dentition to 71.3% (95% CI =70.3%-72.3%) in the permanent dentition (p<0.001). Dentition was the only variable significantly associated to the severity of malocclusion (OR=1.87; 95% CI =1.43-2.45; p<0.001). The variables sex, type of school and ethnic group were not significant. The meta-analysis showed that a weighted OR of 1.95 (1.91; 1.98) when compared the second dentition period with deciduous and mixed dentition. CONCLUSIONS: In planning oral health services, some activities are indicated to reduce the proportion of moderate/severe malocclusion to levels that are socially more acceptable and economically sustainable.

Keywords : Malocclusion [epidemiology]; Dentition, primary; Dentition, permanent; Prevalence; Meta-analysis; Cross-sectional studies; Dental health services.