Anterior open-bite and sucking habits in Italian preschool children

Aim To evaluate the consequences of prolonged sucking habits on the development of the orofacial complex in deciduous dentition. Materials and Methods A cross-sectional study was carried out involving 235 preschool children. A questionnaire for children parents and clinical examinations were carried out by calibrated blinded examiners. The chi-square test and the T-Student test were used for statistical analysis. Results The prevalence of non-nutritive sucking habits (NNSH) in the sample was 74%. Anterior open-bite (AOB) was detected in 18%, and it was significantly related to non-nutritive sucking habits, bottle-feeding (only in the 3-year-old group) and persistent use of pacifier (p<0.05). Conclusions NNSH and type of feeding were important contributing factors in the development of anterior open-bite in deciduous dentition.