Comparison of Patterns of Early Tooth Loss and Normal Occlusion of Primary Dentition Among Groups of Egyptian and Libyan Children

Abstract

This research was designed to provide information about patterns of early tooth loss and an insight into the state of primary dentition occlusal patterns in a group of preschool Egyptian and Libyan children. A total of 1234 Egyptian and Libyan children aged from 3- 5 years were examined. A sample of 240 children (116 girls and 124 boys) was selected from the examined children. 60 Egyptian children (32 girls and 28 boys) and 60 Libyan children (27 girls and 33 boys) were chosen for assessment of pattern of tooth loss that meets the following inclusion criteria: have premature loss of primary tooth/teeth only. Loss of supernumerary or supplemental tooth was excluded. For each child: Extracted tooth/teeth type and Causes of extraction were recorded. 60 Egyptian children (30 girls and 30 boys) and 60 Libyan children (27 girls and 33 boys) were chosen for assessment of occlusal relationships, tooth and arch dimensions that meets the following criteria; full set of primary dentition, clinical absence of active proximal caries. Children with supernumerary teeth or abnormalities in tooth size, clefts, abnormal oral habits, and medically compromised were excluded. For each subjects an alginate impression was taken for both dental arches and poured in dental stone, to produce dental casts on which the following measurements were recorded to assess: tooth size, arch dimension, occlusion, spacing and crowding. A digital calliper was used to record the measurements. The recorded data was tabulated and statistically analyzed Statistical with IBM® SPSS® Statistics Version 20 for Windows. The results showed that the most prevalent lost tooth among, Egyptian boys was the upper left central incisor and the Egyptian girls was the lower left first molar while the Libyan boys was the upper right central incisor and the Libyan girls was the lower right first molar. It was also found that the most prevalent cause of tooth loss is caries, while on comparing boys and girls of both populations it was found that boys showed higher prevalence of tooth loss due to trauma than girls. More number of teeth was lost in maxilla when compared to the mandible in both Egyptian and Libyan children. The Egyptian and Libyan boys had higher mean maxillary and mandibular arch length and wider intercanine width than girls. The Libyan boys had also wider maxillary and mandibular intermolar width than girls, while there was no difference between the Egyptian boys and girls. The anteriorposterior arch length in Libyan boys showed higher mean maxillary arch length than girls, while Egyptian boys showed higher mean mandibular arch length than girls. The Libyan children showed larger mesiodistal tooth width than Egyptian children. The flush terminal plane and Class I canine relationship were found to be the major pattern among children. Overbite was higher in Libyan children than Egyptian children. Percentage of crowding was higher in Egyptian children than Libyan. Primate spaces were found more frequent in the maxillary arch in the examined children.