Assessment of primary molars early loss in mixed dentition prevalence

Vol. 13 – Number 52 – 2020 Original article Page 102-106 Assessment of primary molars early loss in mixed dentition prevalence Ana de Lourdes Sá de Lira¹ Cassius Wander Coelho Martins² Luis Paulo da Silva Dias² Tito Cacau Sousa Santos² Abstract Objective: To assess primary molars early loss in mixed dentition prevalence. Method: A study was carried out in children aged 6 to 12 years. Deciduous molar loss was considered early when it occurred before Nolla stage 6 (full formed crown) of the permanent successor or one year before its physiological exfoliation. Periapical radiographs were obtained to verify the presence of the permanent successor and the level of root formation, as well as the need for placement of fixed space maintainer lingual arch or Nance button. For the study of frequency distribution of early dental loss in relation to gender and dentition, we used the Chi-square test of 5% probability level and the non-parametric Mann-Whitney test for adequate statistical analysis. Results: Of the 315 children examined, 159 (50.47%) were male and 156 (49.52%) were female. Only 25 (7.9%) presented multiple dental losses in the posterior region, 19 in the lower arch and 6 in the upper arch. In the inferior one there was predominance of first and second deciduous molars loss. There was no difference in the association between genders and the occurrence of multiple dental losses (χ² (1) = 0.03, p>0.05). Conclusion: The prevalence of deciduous teeth premature loss was of 7.9% and the most affected teeth were the first and second molars in the lower arch. Lingual arch space holders were installed in 6 children, who will remain with it until the permanent successors erupt into the oral cavity. Descriptors: Preventive Orthodontics, space maintenance, mixed dentition. ¹ PhD in Orthodontics – UFRJ, Adjunct Professor of Dentistry – UESPI. ² Graduated in Dentistry – UESPI.