ASSESSMENT OF THE OCCLUSAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PRIMARY DENTITION AMONG LEBANESE PRE-SCHOOL CHILDREN: A BASE LINE STUDY CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

One of the most important goals in pediatric dentistry is to achieve and maintain a normal occlusion throughout the development of the child. Any deviation from the normal dentofacial growth pattern might lead to esthetic and functional problems in the future. These changes can be noticed during regular dental checkups, and actions can be taken to reduce their effect on the developing dentition. The aim of this study is to assess the occlusal characteristics of primary dentition in children under 6 years of age, attending the BAU output dental clinics and a number of private schools. This cross-sectional study was conducted among 377 Lebanese children with their ages ranging between 3 to 6 years. Each child possessing a complete set of primary teeth, with no severe caries, and without the eruption of any of his permanent teeth, had his occlusal parameters evaluated separately such as: primary molar relationship (flushed terminal plane, mesial step, distal step), canine relationship (class I, class II, class III), overjet, overbite, presence or absence of spaces, crowding, crossbite (anterior and posterior) in each jaw. Then the percentage of each characteristic was calculated. The results showed the following percentages; flushed terminal plane molar relationship (62%), class 1 canine relationship (84%), spaced upper and lower arches (98%), over jet 2mm (49.1%), and overbite 50% (53%).. It was found that the flushed terminal plane molar relationship, Class I canine relationship, spacing in both arches, increased overbite and overbite predominated