The Latest Research On Common Dental Malocclusions

Dental malocclusion is a common orthodontic diagnosis that refers to a misalignment between the upper and lower dental arches. The condition manifests in diverse ways. There are three main classes of malocclusion (overbite, severe overbite, and underbite), and ten types of malocclusion (for example overcrowding, spacing, crossbite, impacted teeth, missing teeth, and diastema or gaps between teeth). The severity of malocclusion symptoms also varies considerably, with the effects ranging from mild discomfort, to more serious symptoms that can inhibit speech and breathing.

The main causes of dental malocclusion are relatively well understood, and there are well-established orthodontic practices for treating malocclusion. Nevertheless, the knowledge and treatment of dental malocclusion continue to evolve in response to emerging scientific research.

Keeping pace with the rapid development of orthodontic knowledge and practices can be challenging, both for patients and for professionals working in the field of orthodontics. The aim of this article is therefore to provide some general information regarding important insights from the latest research on dental malocclusion.

Genetics and malocclusion

While some of the main factors that contribute to malocclusions such as environment and behavior are fairly well understood, the contribution of other factors such as genetics has been relatively under-researched. This is changing rapidly, however, as new biotechnologies enable scientists like geneticists to study the relationship between genes and dental health.

Some of the latest research suggests a strong link between specific genes and dental malocclusion. A recent paper by Mokhtar et al. published in February 2020 in the Journal of Orofacial and Health Sciences discussed four specific genes that are strongly correlated with malocclusion. For instance, the authors describe the association between mandibular prognathism (more commonly known as ‘underbite’) and a gene called Matrillin-1. The authors also describe a strong correlation between malocclusion incidence rates and a gene called DUSP6.

While this research shows that genes can be an important factor contributing to cases of dental malocclusion, it is important to remember that genetics are not the only factor. There are equally important environmental and behavioral factors that can be effectively managed to counter risks associated with being genetically predisposed to a malocclusion.

Vitamin D3 and malocclusion

The link between nutrition and dental malocclusion is another important but relatively under-researched topic in the field of orthodontics. In June 2021, a journal called Nutrients published a paper by Leszczyszyn et al. demonstrating that Vitamin D3 deficiency could be a key factor contributing to a malocclusion.

The authors’ main argument is that Vitamin D3 deficiency contributes indirectly to the development of malocclusion because this specific nutritional deficiency commonly leads to defective skeletal development, which in turn is one of the main causal factors of dental malocclusion.

Based on their clinical research, the authors describe a strong correlation between Vitamin D3 deficiency and incidences of malocclusion, particularly in relation to maxillary (upper jaw) underdevelopment.

This research demonstrates the importance of proper nutrition in reducing the probability of dental malocclusions, especially malocclusions of the upper jaw.

At-home treatments for malocclusion

Remote or ‘at-home’ orthodontic treatments have grown rapidly over the last decade as new digital communication technologies have become more sophisticated and more widely accessible.

There is now a growing body of research into this new paradigm of orthodontic healthcare provision, but keeping pace with the development of ‘at-home’ orthodontic treatments poses a considerable challenge for researchers. For this reason, research on the relative advantages and disadvantages of remote orthodontic treatments for malocclusion is largely provisional in nature- in other words, the innovative and rapidly developing nature of remote orthodontics means that conclusive evaluation of this model is not yet possible.

Nonetheless, the latest research does suggest that ‘at-home’ orthodontic treatments such as clear aligners can potentially offer significant benefits to malocclusion patients, particularly those with more minor misalignments such as crowding or spacing, not only in terms of convenience but also in terms of affordability.

Current orthodontic research also shows that the ‘at-home’ model can potentially enable dentists and other orthodontic professionals to monitor their malocclusion patients more efficiently and effectively throughout the treatment process.

Consumers interested in ‘at-home’ orthodontic treatments can learn more detailed information by consulting this useful resource produced by Smile Prep, an online company offering innovative and helpful ways to assist consumers and patients in the remote orthodontic market.