Overjet and overbite prevalence in schoolchildren

Abstract

As a part of an oral health sur- vey in Piracicaba, SP, this paper reports the results of overjet and overbite prevalence, carried out with 12-year-old schoolchildren, from public schools, who have never worn orthodontic appli- ance, relating this prevalence to the schoolchindren’s sex. A total of 325 schoolchildren was exam- ined, 176 female (54,2%) and 149 male (45,8%). The results were analysed statistically, applying the Qui-square test, adopting the sig- nificance level of 5% and of prob- ability of (p<0,05). It was verified that the overjet varied from 0 to 9 mm, being the major occurrence of 2 mm (43,4%. The accumulated frequency increasing from 0 to 20 mm was 59,4%. In relation to the overbite, it was verified a varia- tion from 6 to 7, being the major occurrence of 2 mm (44,3%). The accumulated frequency increasing from 0 to 2 mm was 65,2%. It was not observed association between the overjet or overbite of the inci- sors in relation to the schoolchil- dren’s sex. After analysis, it was possible to conclude the need of treatment and people’s acquiring of knowledge about breast-feeding and negative aspects of deleterious habits related to occlusion. Key words: orthodontics, overject, overbite.