Variations on Primary Occlusal Relationship of Pediatric Patients

There is a great variation in the characteristics of dentition and occlusion between different countries, and ethnic and age groups. The aim of this study is to examine the occlusal characteristics and malocclusion present in a group of Saudi children in Riyadh and compare them to other ethnic groups. This survey is based on the dental examination of 402 Saudi children aged (4-13) years old from Riyadh City. The distribution of primary molar relationship involved that 64.05% presented with a ‘mesial step’ , 27.02% presented with a ‘flush terminal plan’ and 8.93% presented with a ‘distal step’, all of them had primary molars. Involving permanent molar relationship, class I presented in 74.04% of the sample, 12.28% of the sample presented with class II and 13.68% of the sample presented with class III. The majority of the children in the present study, 73.92% had primary canines in a class I relationship.

These results coincide with those reported by other studies. The prevalence of normal overjet was 69.64% of those who presented with an overjet between 1-3mm. Anterior open-bite was found in only 17.2% of those surveyed. The prevalence of a deep bite was 16.94% and an edge to edge bite occurred in 11.29% , but there is normal change in overbite . Anterior crossbite was found in 4.7%, and posterior crossbite was found in 5% of the studied children. Midline deviation occurred with 34.9%.