Influence of head and linear growth on the development of malocclusion at six years of age: a cohort study

The aim of this article was to evaluate the influence of biological and sociobehavioral factors on the development of malocclusions in children. This is a cross-sectional study nested in a cohort of 350 children who participated in a community intervention study. After six years, an active search identified 290 children with occlusal abnormalities. Socioeconomic status, linear growth, and nutritional status of the child at birth and at the time of measurement, as well as dietary and sucking habits, were investigated. Malocclusions were evaluated across three spatial planes - anteroposterior, vertical, and transverse. The prevalence of these anomalies was 64.5%, primarily in the anteroposterior plane. The logistic regression analysis revealed that pacifier use for 60 months or more, stunting as measured at age six, and reduced gain in head circumference from birth to six years of age, were significantly associated with the development of malocclusion in childhood. Head circumference and linear growth are associated with occlusal anomalies in infants, independent of pacifier sucking.