Class III malocclusion diagnosis by graduation students

José Augusto Mendes MIGUEL, Cristiane CANAVARRO, Juliana de Paiva Moura FERREIRA, Ione Helena Portella BRUNHARO, Marco Antonio de Oliveira ALMEIDA

Aim: The aim of this article was to check the ability of undergraduate students to identify Class III malocclusion and also recognize the correct timing for referring them for orthodontic treatment, taking into consideration the patient’s dental and skeletal ages. Methods: The sample included 138 senior students of 10 Dental Schools in the State of Rio de Janeiro, which answered a written questionnaire with objective questions. It was also presented to them the facial photographs and study models of a unilateral Class III patient, which also included other dental irregularities. Results: It could be observed that it was easy for most of the students to identify the dental midline deviation (n = 124 or 90%) and the anterior crossbite (n = 122 or 89%). However, approximately half of the sample (n = 63 or 46% of the students) was able to classify the studied clinical case as a unilateral Class III. Only 46% of the group (n = 63) could identify the early loss of a deciduous tooth. Almost the totality of the sample agreed on the orthodontic treatment need, however, it was hard for them to agree on the best timing for referring the case to the specialist and the beginning of this therapy. Conclusion: The students graduate in Dental School with dificulties on the correct diagnosis of Class III cases and are not fully aware of a basic protocol for the treatment of this abnormality.

Keywords: Interceptive orthodontics. Diagnosis. Angle Class III malocclusion.

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