Prevalence of malocclusion among 8-15 years old children, India - A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE

We designed this review to assess the prevalence of malocclusion among 8-15 years old Indian children.

METHODOLOGY

The review protocol was registered in PROSPERO data with register number CRD42020214211. We employed the standard methodological procedures according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement. Electronic search was done in PubMed database and other sources in 2020 to identify studies. Only studies published in English after January 1, 2000 that assessed prevalence of malocclusion using Dental aesthetic Index (DAI) or Angle's classification of malocclusion were considered for screening. Selection of articles, data extraction and validity assessment were done independently by the two reviewers.

RESULTS

Pooled prevalence of malocclusion is 35.40% (CI:35.37-35.43, 54 studies, 97959 participants). Males had higher proportion of malocclusion (36.20%, CI: 36.12-36.28,33 studies, 40456 participants). 13 years had higher prevalence of malocclusion (33.50%, CI:33.34-33.66, 11 studies, 3366 participants).Prevalence of malocclusion was higher among urban population (32.78%, CI:32.71 32.85,11 studies, 18313 participants). South India showed higher prevalence of malocclusion (39.58%, CI:39.54-39.62, 41 studies, 58645 participants). Prevalence of malocclusion as assessed by mean DAI score was 21.23 (CI:21.14-21.33,11 studies, 12345 participants).

CONCLUSIONS

The pooled prevalence of malocclusion among 8-15 years children in India is 35.40% (CI:35.37-35.43,54 studies, 97959 participants).Included studies were heterogeneous in their methods of assessment of malocclusion.