Anterior Spacing and Crowding in the Primary Dentition in Hwaseong City : A Preliminary Study

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess the spacing and crowding of the anterior teeth in the primary dentition in Hwaseong city. Photographs of the anterior segment of 237 children satisfied the criteria. The presence of primate spaces and developmental spaces was assessed by the proximal contacts.

Physiologic spacing was observed in 47.3% and 38.0% of the cases in the upper and lower arches, respectively. 43.5% showed the presence of two-segment contact or crowded dentition. Physiologic spacing was observed more in boys than in girls. In the maxilla, primate space was more frequent than developmental space; however, in the mandible, the difference was low. In the maxilla, the space between the central incisor and the lateral incisor was more frequent than the space between both central incisors. In contrast, in the mandible, the space between both central incisors was more common than the space between the central and lateral incisors or between the lateral incisors and canine.

The present study describes the tendency for anterior spacing and crowding in the primary dentition. Further longitudinal studies with a larger sample are needed. Dentists should consider these concepts of spacing or contact/crowding when performing full coronal restorations of primary anterior teeth.