ASSOCIATION BETWEEN NON NUTRITIVE ORAL BEHAVIOUR WITH SEVERITY OF MALOCCLUSION IN PATIENTS ATTENDING A DENTAL HOSPITAL IN CHENNAI

Abstract

Malocclusion is defined as any deviation from the ideal occlusion and it has a multifactorial etiology. Non physiologic oral habits like non nutritive sucking, mouth breathing, nail biting and lip biting can alter the development of somatogenic system and malocclusion. The aim of the study is to determine the association between non nutritive oral behaviour and malocclusion among patients attending a private dental college in chennai. Dental aesthetic index was used to measure the malocclusion.This study included all DAI index patient records from 15-30 years old who visited the dental college from August 2019- March 2020 and a total of 65 records were reviewed. Descriptive statistics, chi square tests and pearson correlation tests were used for statistical analysis. In the present study with a sample size of 65, 67.69% were males and 32.31% were females.Results showed , 73.3% had minor malocclusion ,13.8% with definite malocclusion , 9.2% with severe malocclusion and 4.6% showed handicapping malocclusion . It was found that 75.3% had mouth breathing and lip biting , 12.3% had thumb sucking; 4.6% had mouth breathing , lip biting and tongue thrusting; 4.6% had thumb sucking , mouth breathing and lip biting and 3.08% had mouth breathing, lip biting and nail biting. In the present study, positive correlation was found between malocclusion and non - nutritive oral behaviour .