Malocclusion Among 10- to 12-Year-Old Male Schoolchildren in Qassim Region of Saudi Arabia: A Retrospective Epidemiological Study.

Objective To identify the prevalence of malocclusion in late mixed dentition in Qassim region of Saudi Arabia. This will be the first epidemiological study of its kind in this region. It will be very helpful for planning effective preventive measures and therapy programs. Materials and methods This study was performed in Qassim region, Saudi Arabia starting from October 2018 to March 2019. The examination was performed by two well-trained general dentists after using a specially prepared clinical examination form. A total of 536 children aged between 10 and 12 and those who met the inclusion criteria have been examined for Angle's relationship, overjet, overbite, crossbite, midline deviation and lip competent. Results Class I relation accounted for the highest percentage of the sample, whilst 31.3% presented with Class I ideal occlusion, and 48.9% Class I with malocclusion. This was followed by Class II malocclusion (12.5% of the sample), and Class III accounted for the lowest proportion (7.3%). Increased overjet was present in 34.4% of the sample, whereas 3.9% had edge-to-edge and 2.2% a reverse overjet. Regarding overbite, 39% reported increased overbite, whilst 3% had open bite. A total of 63 children presented with crossbite - 6.15% had anterior crossbite, 5% unilateral posterior, and 0.5% bilateral posterior. Regarding the midline, only visible and noticed deviation was recorded. The results showed that 90% had no deviation, while 10% had a deviated midline. Regarding lip competence, only 12.1% had an incompetent lip. Conclusion Early intervention and correction of occlusal discrepancies will facilitate the treatment and eliminate possible defects in developing dental arches.