Prevalence and determinants of orthodontic malocclusions in children: a multifactorial analysis

Aims: To determine the prevalence of orthodontic malocclusions in children and adolescents and to evaluate, through a multifactorial approach, the associations between these malocclusions and mesiodistal dimension loss, presence of dental caries, missing teeth, oral hygiene habits, and dietary behaviors. Methods: This descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted on 1092 children aged 4-15 years. Participants were stratified into age groups, and clinical examinations were performed to assess malocclusion type, number of missing and decayed teeth, oral hygiene indices (Gingival Index and Plaque Index), as well as individual oral hygiene and dietary habits. Normality was assessed using the Shapiro-Wilk test. Depending on the data type and distribution, Chi-square tests with Bonferroni correction, two-proportion Z tests, ANOVA with Tukey’s HSD, Kruskal-Wallis with Bonferroni-adjusted Dunn, and Mann-Whitney U tests were performed. Statistical significance was set at p