Características de las arcadas dentarias y de la oclusión en una población infantil nacida en condiciones de prematuridad y tratada en la Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos Neonatales

Abstract

Objective: Prematury of Preterm birth (PTB) is defines as any birth before 37 weeks of pregnancy are completed or when the weight is less than 2500 g. Currently, the term is subdivided according to gestational age and birth weight. The inmaturity of these children as well as the interventions that they may require during the neonatal period, will give rise to a series of consequences on systematic health, with an increase in morbidity at the systemic level. In addition, it can specifically affect the level of oral, as these chldren may require oral mechanical ventilation. Due to this oral intubation, a lack of maxillofacial growth has been observed, as well as maxilalry compresssion, which can have possible consequences in the dental arches. Likewise, these children will present other oral alterations in th dimensions of the teeth, the dental eruption, the dental mineralization, the dental enamel and a greater risk of cavities. The main aim of this work is to determine if there are differences between the dental arch dimensions and occlusal characteristics of children born prematurely and admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) compared to children born at term. The study group was analyzed in order to find out if the parameters of the dental arches are related to certain perinatal variables.