Mantenedor de Espacio Estético - Funcional en Odontopediatría: Reporte de caso

Abstract

INTRODUCTION. The main purpose of the study was to detect phoniatric alterations induced by the premature loss of the anterior teeth. MATERIAL AND METHODS. The experimental group was formed by 20 healthy children, between 3 and 5 years, sex independent and with a period of absence of the upper incisors from 3 months to 1 year. The control group was formed by 20 healthy children between 3 and 5 years, sex independent and with total integrity of the upper anterior segment. Both groups were tested by a phoniatrician using the Test for Phoniatric Evaluation in Pediatrics (TPEP). RESULTS. The results were that patients with premature loss of the upper incisors presented phoniatric alterations in the 67% (6) of the girls and 100% (14) of the boys. The control group presented alterations in the 46% (8) of the girls and 54% (12) of the boys. CONCLUSIONS. Although both groups presented more boys than girls, analyzing the incidence of phoniatric alterations with X2, the results were that boys presented more alterations. The premature loss of the upper incisors is a predisposing factor for phoniatric alterations. Time elapsed from the loss of these teeth is directly proportional to the type of the language problem produced.