Preterm Birth: A Primary Etiological Factor for Delayed Oral Growth and Development International Journal of Clinical Pediatric Dentistry, September-December 2015;8(3):215-219 215 IJCPD Preterm Birth: A Primary Etiological Factor for Delayed Oral Growth a

Preterm and low birthweight children comprise approximately 6 % of all live births. It is now a well-known fact that premature children experience many oral complications associated with their preterm births. Prematurely born infants have a short prenatal development period and they are prone to many serious medical problems during the neonatal period, which may affect the development of oral tissues. Adverse perinatal factors, premature birth and exceptional early adaptation to extra-uterine life and functional activity may influence dental occlusal development and symmetry in the jaws. Thus, the goal of the present paper is to elucidate further the effect of preterm birth on the development of the dentition