Association between Maternal Education and Malocclusion in Mongolian Adolescents

Objectives: Malocclusion is a highly prevalent condition, affecting 2 to 6 of every 10 adolescents throughout the world. However, few studies have examined the relationship between malocclusion and socioeconomic factors. This cross-sectional study was conducted to identify the prevalence of malocclusion among Mongolian adolescents and its association with socioeconomic status in a population-based sample.
Methods: Dental cast sets of 557 Mongolian schoolchildren aged 11 to 16 years were evaluated using Dental Health Component of the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need to stratify orthodontic treatment need. Questionnaires were administered to the parents of the subjects to assess socioeconomic status. Poisson regression analysis was performed to examine the association between malocclusion and socioeconomic status.
Results: The prevalence of malocclusion requiring orthodontic treatment among all the adolescents was 35.2% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 31.2–39.2). In the unadjusted analysis, the prevalence ratio (PR) of malocclusion was higher (incidence rate ratio [IRR] = 1.45; 95% CI: 0.96–2.20) in adolescents of mothers with a high educational background than that in adolescents of mothers with a low educational background. After adjusting for covariates, the PR remained significantly higher (PR = 1.76; 95% CI: 1.08–2.87) in adolescents of mothers with a high educational background. Other socioeconomic status variables, including income or paternal education, were not found to be associated with malocclusion.
Conclusions: The findings suggest that malocclusion in adolescents requiring orthodontic treatment is more prevalent in adolescents of mothers with a high educational background. Further studies are needed to determine the behavioral and environmental differences between mothers of high and low educational background to assist in preventing malocclusion in Mongolian children.