Postgraduate School in Orthodontics, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome (Italy).
Eur J Paediatr Dent. 2013 Sep;14(3):231-6.
The aim of the study is to estimate the orthodontic treatment timing for the main occlusal problems in growing patients.
a cross-sectional study was carried out in Italian primary and secondary schools from 2008 to 2011; 1375 males and 1642 females, aged between 8 and 13 years, were visited. The sample is divided into two main groups: primary school and secondary school. Selected malocclusion signs were registered according to an occlusal index (ROMA index) by trained and calibrated operators. Prevalence of increased overjet, Class III malocclusion, crossbite, deep bite and open bite observed in each group are compared. A significant decrease of prevalence with age is considered a sign of spontaneous improvement of the malocclusion.
Descriptive analyses were performed using frequencies, percentages and chi-square tests to evaluate differences for categorical variables. The level of significance was set at p ≤0.05. Data were analysed with the software SPSS 19.0 for Windows. Class III malocclusion, moderate or severe crossbite and severe increased overjet and overbite seem not to improve spontaneously.
Early treatment of orthodontic problems that do not improve with age may be helpful to avoid worsening of the condition in permanent dentition. Moderate Class II malocclusion and crossbite treatment can be postponed.
本研究旨在评估生长发育期患者主要咬合问题的正畸治疗时机。
本研究为 2008 年至 2011 年在意大利小学和中学进行的横断面研究；共对 1375 名男性和 1642 名女性（年龄 8-13 岁）进行了访问。该样本分为两个主要组：小学组和中学组。根据经过培训和校准的操作人员的咬合指数（罗马指数），记录了选定的错颌畸形体征。比较每组中观察到的深覆颌、III 类错颌、反颌、深覆盖和开颌的患病率。随着年龄的增长，患病率显著下降被认为是错颌自发改善的迹象。
使用频率、百分比和卡方检验进行描述性分析，以评估分类变量的差异。显著性水平设置为 p≤0.05。数据使用 Windows 版 SPSS 19.0 软件进行分析。III 类错颌、中度或重度反颌以及严重的深覆颌和深覆盖似乎不会自发改善。
对于不会随年龄改善的错颌问题，早期治疗可能有助于避免恒牙期病情恶化。中度 II 类错颌和反颌的治疗可以推迟。
