Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate the developmental transition from deciduous dentition to permanent dentition in low birth weight infants. Cases provided with study models of deciduous and permanent dentition were carefully selected.4 cases of very-low birth weight infants (<1500 g)and 4 cases of extremely-low birth weight infants (<1000 g) were obtained. Mesiodistal and labio/buccolingual widths of the tooth crown, and dental arch length and widths of both deciduous and permanent dentitions were measured from these study models. Measurements of the low birth weight infants were analyzed and compared to those of normal birth weight infants.
Our findings were as follows:
1. Both the mesiodistal and labio/ buccolingual widths of the tooth crowns of the deciduous and permanent tooth crowns of low birth weight infants were narrower than those of normal birth weight infants. This tendancy was evident in the labio/ buccolingual crown width.
2. The arch length in low birth weight infants was longer than, that of normal birth weight infants in the deciduous and permanent dentition. The arch width of low birth weight infants was narrower than that of normal birth weight infants.
