ABSTRACT
Objectives: The objective of this study was to describe the prevalence of malocclusion
in a population of Central Anatolian adolescents in relation to gender.
Methods: The sample comprised 2329 teenagers (1125 boys and 1204 girls), aged between
12 and 17 years (mean age: 14.6 yrs). Occlusal anteroposterior relationships were
assessed using the Angle classification. Other variables examined were overjet, overbite,
crowding, midline diastema, posterior crossbite, and scissors bite.
Results:The results showed that about 10.1% of the subjects had normal occlusions,
34.9% of the subjects had Class I malocclusions, 40.0% had Class II Division 1 malocclusions,
4.7% had Class II Division 2 malocclusions and 10.3% had Class III malocclusions.
Over 53.5% had normal overbites, and 18.3%, 14.4%, 5.6%, and 8.2% had increased, reduced,
edge-to-edge or anterior open bite values, respectively. Overjet relationship was
normal in 58.9%, increased in 25.1%, reversed in 10.4%, and edge-to-edge in 5.6%.
A posterior crossbite registered in 9.5% and scissors bite in 0.3%. Anterior crowding
was present in 65.2% of the sample and midline diastema in 7.0%. No clear gender differences
were noted, except for normal overbite (most frequent in girls, P>.001) and increased
overbite (most frequent in boys, P>.05)
Conclusions: Class II Division 1 malocclusion is the most prevalent occlusal pattern
among the Central Anatolian adolescents and the high values (25.1% and 18.3%) of increased
overjet and overbite were a reflection of the high prevalence of Class II malocclusion.
(Eur J Dent 2007;1:125-131)
Key words
Malocclusion - Class I malocclusions - Class II Division 1 - Class III malocclusions
