Prevalence of malocclusion and need for orthodontic treatment in children with mixed dentition in four Salvadoran school centers using the dental esthetic index during 2015

Abstract

Objective: To establish the prevalence of malocclusion and the need for orthodontic treatment in 766 children with mixed dentition in four schools. Materials and Methods: Descriptive cross-sectional study, carried out in the República de Uruguay and Fernando Llort schools in San Salvador and Santa María del Camino and San Agustín Sánchez in San Vicente, El Salvador, with a random sample of 766 children aged 6 to 12 years, determined with the GRANMO calculator. Data were collected through observation using the Dental Esthetics Index (DAI). Results: 34.3% presented normal occlusion or minimal malocclusion; 29.1% were in very severe or disabling malocclusion; 19.2% presented definite malocclusion and 17.4% severe malocclusion. Among the components of the IAD that determine malocclusion, 77.93% were found to be anterosuperior and inferior crowding, followed by 73.1% in the component of greater mandibular anterior irregularity, and 66.4% in greater maxillary anterior irregularity.