Malocclusion and treatment need in children and adolescents with sickle cell disease

• Published in: The Angle orthodontist Vol. 84; no. 3; pp. 467 - 472
• Main Authors: Alves e Luna, Ana Cláudia, Godoy, Fabiana, de Menezes, Valdenice Aparecida
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Edward H Angle Education and Research Foundation, Inc 01.05.2014
• Subjects: Adolescent; Age Factors; Anemia, Sickle Cell - epidemiology; Brazil - epidemiology; Child; Child, Preschool; Cross-Sectional Studies; Educational Status; Epidemiologic Studies; Esthetics, Dental; Female; Humans; Income - statistics & numerical data; Male; Malocclusion - epidemiology; Malocclusion, Angle Class I - epidemiology; Malocclusion, Angle Class II - epidemiology; Needs Assessment - statistics & numerical data; Open Bite - epidemiology; Original; Overbite - epidemiology; Parents - education; Prevalence; Residence Characteristics - statistics & numerical data; Tooth Loss - epidemiology; Brazil
• ISSN: 0003-3219; 1945-7103
• DOI: 10.2319/070913-503.1

To assess the prevalence of malocclusion and treatment need in children and adolescents with sickle cell disease (SCD). In this cross-sectional study, the sample size comprised 35 five-year-old children and 36 adolescents of both sexes, aged between 12 to 18 years, with SCD. Dental occlusion was assessed using two indexes: the Malocclusion Index (World Health Organization) and the Dental Aesthetic Index (DAI). The prevalence of malocclusion in the preschool children was 62.9%. The main malocclusions observed in this age group were Class II (37.1%), increased overjet (28.6%), reduced overbite (28.6%), and open bite (17.1%). In the 12- to 18-year-old subjects, the prevalence of malocclusion was 100%, and the most prevalent types of malocclusion were maxillary overjet (63.9%) and maxillary misalignment (58.3%). It is noteworthy that the majority of adolescents (80.6%) had very severe or disabling malocclusions. The results revealed a high prevalence of malocclusion in children and adolescents with SCD. According to DAI score, the majority of the sample presented with very severe malocclusion and a compulsory treatment need.