Normal Iraqi values of overjet and overbite

Abstract EN

Knowing the normal range of values helps us define the abnormal range.

Material and Method: This study involved six governorates (cities and environs) in Iraq selected to cover the whole country geographically (Baghdad the capital, Ninevah, Basrah, Diyala, Anbar and Najaf).

The sample consisted of 6957 intermediate school students aged 13 years with no previous history of orthodontic treatment.

An intra-oral clinical examination was used to assess their overjet and overbite.

Results: More than two thirds of the sample (67.8%) had an overjet of 2mm to 4mm and three quarters of the sample (75.3%) had an overbite of 1mm to 3mm and when overjet and overbite values were cross-tabulated, 54.7% of the sample had an overjet of 2-4mm and an overbite of 1-3mm suggesting their normal values.

Conclusion: For Iraqi 13 earl teen-agers the normal overjet is 2-4mm and overbite is 1-3mm