Abstract
The purpose of the present study was to investigate the occlusal deviation frequency in the pathway of the mouth closure due to premature contacts, with reference to dentitional growth. The subjects examined were 154 children with normal occlusion and malocclusion(IIA-IIC: 38, IIIA-IIIB: 71, IIIC-IVA: 45), and was examined the occlusal deviation in the pathway of the mouth closure.
The results obtained were as followsl;
1. Occlusal deviation was found in 26 children (16.9%). In the group with occlusal deviation, the ratio of the malocclusion was significantly higher than that with the normal occlusion.
2. Occlusal deviation significantly increased(p<0.05) with the dentitional growth from IIA-IIC (0%), IIIA-IIIB (6.3%) to IIIC-IVA(17.9%) in the children with normal occlusion. However, occlusal deviation was not significant with dentitional growth from IIA-IIC (27.3%), IIIA-IIIB (47.8%) to IIIC-IVA (25.0%) in the children with the malocclusion.
3. Comparing variouslmalocclusions, occlusal deviation is the most frequent in the forced crossbites.
These findings suggested that malocclusion does lead to occlusal deviation, and the eruption of the 1st and/or 2nd permanent molars may disturb the occlusal stabilization temporarily in children.
