Relation between skeletal class and type of footprint in children from Asunción and Luque, Paraguay

Abstract

Introduction: there is evidence in the literature that suggests a possible relationship between dental malocclusions and foot type alterations. Objective: to determine the relationship between skeletal class and foot type in children who attended the Facultad de Odontología of the Universidad Nacional de Asunción and a private practice in the period 2000 to 2018. Materials and methods: non-probabilistic sampling of consecutive cases; children of both sexes were included, from 5 to 15 years old with skeletal class I, II and III. Data: age, sex, skeletal type (Class I = 0 to 4; Class II = 4 to 0; Class III = <0) and foot types (0 – 34% flat foot; 35 – 39% flat/normal foot; 40-54% normal foot; 55-59% normal/cavus foot; 60-74% cavus foot; 75-84% strong cavus foot; 85-100% extreme cavus foot), recorded in a Microsoft Excel© spreadsheet, transferred to the Epi-info™ program, version 3.5.3 and the Chi-square test was performed. Results: 250 patients were included in the study, of which 52.8% were female. Of the total skeletal class I patients, 40.5% had a cavus foot type. No statistically significant association was found between the skeletal class and the foot type. Conclusion: no association was found between skeletal class and foot in children who attended the Faculty of Dentistry of the National University of Asunción and a private practice in the period 2000 to 2018.