Effects of early treatment on morphological variables five years after application

Abstract

Introduction: early treatment typically obtains an adequate developmental response from the stomatognathic system. Objective: evaluate the effects of early treatment on morphological variables using neuro-occlusal rehabilitation techniques five years after application during primary dentition. Methods: adevelopmental longitudinal descriptive study was conducted from 2001 to 2010 at the School of Dentistry of the University of Medical Sciences of Villa Clara. The study universe was 2 215 five-year-old children from educational institutions of the city of Santa Clara (2001-2002). A staged stratified method was applied. Study variables were analyzed along three evolution stages: initial, intermediate and final. The study sample was composed of 59 children with occlusal interferences during primary dentition, which were treated with functional therapies in 2002 and evaluated one year later (first stage). The second stage extended from 2007 to 2010. The sample consisted of 46 ten-year-old children. An informed consent form was developed to record the commitment of the children selected with the study. The statistical tests performed were Friedman's, Wilcoxon's, Fisher's and classical chi-square measure. Results: increased overjet was found in 33 of the cases, with a predominance of the mesial step (87 %) at the end of the study. A tendency to increased temporary intermolar width was observed throughout the study. Mean values for the first permanent molars were similar to the standard described by Mayoral (47 mm). Conclusions: the favorable changes found in the morphological variables under study five years after application of early treatment with neuro-occlusal rehabilitation confirm that the first five years in the life of a child are the ideal stage to start treating alterations of the stomatognathic system.

Keywords

• tratamiento temprano
• tallado selectivo
• orientación masticatoria
• dieta
• función masticatoria.