Prevalence of Spaced and Non-Spaced Dentition and Occlusal Relationship of Primary Dentition and its Relation to Malocclusion in School Children of Davangere.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the current study was carried to determine the relation of spacing, closed dentition, and occlusal relation with malocclusion in the primary dentition in children during deciduous dentition period among school children of Davangere.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 945 school children all having deciduous teeth were included in the study. Informed consent for the child's participation is taken from the school principal. The dentition was examined under natural daylight, and the data was recorded. All the school children were screened for spaced and non-spaced dentition, molar and canine relationship.

RESULTS: The results concluded that most of the children showed spaced dentition (82.1%) when compared to non-spaced dentition (17.9%) with males shown more spaced dentition than compared to females. Among all children examined for molar and canine relation, flush terminal molar relation (65%) showed highest among all molar relation followed by mesial step (31%) and distal step (4%), and Class I canine relation (90%) was significant followed by Class II (6%) and Class III canine relation (4%). No significant difference was seen between right and left side.

CONCLUSION: The study concludes that determining the malocclusion and its correction at an early age helps in preventing a future complication in permanent dentition since stable primary occlusion leads to ideal occlusion in permanent dentition. Spacing, i.e., primate and physiologic space with the terminal molar relation in primary dentition indicates proper alignment of the permanent dentition.