Prevalence of malocclusion in mentally, physically, auditory and visually handicapped patients in Sammawa city aged (6-16)‎ years old

Abstract EN

Background : There has been an increasing concern by the dental profession regarding the problem of providing oral health care to handicapped patients.

These groups need dental treatment of the highest standard as part of their general care to enable them to realize their maximum level of functioning and normalizing their life.

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of malocclusion in groups of handicapped patients and comparing with those of healthy individuals.

Materials and methods : This study was conducted on (267) handicapped patients attending special institutes, some houses and (80) control group in Sammawa city which lies 300 km south of Baghdad, were clinically evaluated to determine the prevalence of various orthodontic anomalies.

Four groups of mentally, physically, auditory and visually handicapped patients from (6-16) years old were studied with respect to sagittal occlusion according to Angle's classification, overjet, overbite, anterior crossbite, posterior crossbite, scissorsbite, spacing and crowding.

Results : The mentally handicapped group had high prevalence of Angle's class III sagittal occlusion, reversed overjet, anterior open bite, posterior crossbite, scissorsbite, spacing and crowding.

The physically handicapped group showed a high prevalence of class III sagittal occlusion, reversed overjet and anterior open bite, posterior crossbite, spacing and crowding.

The auditory and visually handicapped groups showed only higher frequencies of crowding.

Conclusion : The Prevalence of malocclusion in mentally handicapped group (89.4 %) had very highly significant difference when compared with control group (71.3 %), while other groups had no significant difference.