Prevalence of Malocclusion among 13-17 Years Old Individuals in Raichur Taluk- A Descriptive Study

Introduction: Malocclusion, along with dental caries and
periodontal disease, is ranked as one of the most
significant oral health problems by the World Health
Organization (WHO). Lack of treatment for a
malocclusion that persists can have detrimental effects
on a child's quality of life.There could be issues with
phonation, functional, and aesthetics. Our study's goal is
to determine the prevalence of malocclusion across
Rural and Urban areas Of Raichur Taluk given the
significance of malocclusion in dentistry.
Materials and Methods: School students of age group
13-17 years were selected. Each participant was assessed
for occlusal traits - sagittal occlusion, overjet, overbite,
crowding, midline diastema, and crossbite. Examinations
were entered in excel sheet and analyzed using SPSS
Software.Urban population
had twice the class II Malocclusion, and Posterior
crossbite was high in Rural population.

Conclusions: Malocclusion is extensively spread among
population of Raichur Taluk, with greater prevalence in
urban population. Early exfoliation of primary teeth and
highly refined diet can be considered as viable etiological
factors.