OCCLUSAL CHARACTERISTICS IN A GROUP OF CHILDREN WITH CEREBRAL PALSY IN ALEXANDRIA EGYPT

INTRODUCTION: Cerebral palsy is the term given for a range of non-progressive syndromes of posture and motor impairment that results from an insult to the developing central nervous system. OBJECTIVES: Assess the occlusal characteristics in children with cerebral palsy and relate them to the degree of their neuromuscular deficit. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included 87 children with cerebral palsy and 84 healthy children from Alexandria, Egypt. Data were collected using a questionnaire and clinical examination. Questionnaire assessed socio-demographics and medical history. Clinical examination assessed facial profile, posterior occlusion, cuspid relationships, posterior crossbite and anterior incisor relationships. RESULTS: Class II cuspid relationship was statistically higher in cerebral palsy children than healthy control (P=0.02 for both sides). 29.9% of cerebral palsy children and 15.5% of healthy children had convex facial profile with significant difference (P=0.04). Cerebral palsy children were more likely to have open bite than healthy children (31.1% and 14.8% respectively) with a statically significant difference between both groups (P=0.02). The mean overjet (mm) was higher in cerebral palsy children than healthy children (2.87 and 2.23 mm respectively) with a statically significant difference (P=0.03) and the mean overbite (%) was also higher in cerebral palsy children than healthy children (40.65% and 25.47% respectively) with a significant difference(P=0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Cerebral palsy children had a convex facial profile with class II cuspid relationship in comparison to the healthy children. Anteriorly, cerebral palsy children exhibited an increased open bite with a higher significant mean number of overbite and overjet than healthy children. The posterior occlusal relationships in children with cerebral palsy were similar to that in healthy children. The severity of the neuromuscular deficit is a risk factor for the development of malocclusion in cerebral palsy children.