Perda de dentes decíduos posteriores: prevalência, fatores associados e análise da frequência e do tipo de mantenedor de espaço utilizado em crianças atendidas em Clínica de ensino de Odontopediatria e Ortodontia

Abstract

Deciduous dentition plays a fundamental role in the development of dental arches and child occlusion, guiding the eruption of permanent teeth and contributing to essential functions such as mastication, phonation and facial aesthetics. Premature loss of these teeth can trigger several alterations, including tooth migration, reduced space for permanent successors, and occlusal disorders predisposing to malocclusions. Considering these factors, this study aimed to analyze the prevalence and contributing factors to the extraction of posterior deciduous teeth and assess the use and type of space maintainers in children aged 2 to 10 years treated at the clinics of the Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Governador Valadares Campus, from 2016 to 2023. Records of children who had lost posterior deciduous teeth were included, regardless of gender and without systemic alterations such as syndromes or neurological disorders. The dependent variables were the loss of posterior deciduous teeth, while the independent variables were based on clinical, sociodemographic, and behavioral factors associated with this condition. Results were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), version 24.0, and examined statistically through descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate analysis. Results showed a 19.1% prevalence of posterior tooth extraction in the target population, with only two independent predictor variables statistically significant in the multivariate analysis: poor oral hygiene (OHI-S) with an adjusted relative risk (aRR) of 2.450 (95% CI: 1.050-5.715; p=0.038) and caries experience with an aRR of 3.553 (95% CI: 1.105-11.426; p=0.033). Space maintainers were used in 33.3% of children who underwent posterior deciduous tooth extraction, with band-and-loop and lingual arches being the most used types, followed by removable space maintainers. Therefore, it was concluded that there was a high prevalence of posterior tooth extraction in the studied sample, which showed a significant association with poor oral hygiene (poor OHI-S) and caries experience (CPOD and ceoD > 0). Space maintainers were indicated infrequently, with fixed appliances being the most used.