The impact of kiddy dentures on maxillary arch growth

Background: Kiddy dentures are used to restore the self-confidence, chewing function, and pronunciation of children or when a care provider is concerned about the loss of incisor teeth. However, most studies to date have investigated normal dental arch development, and only a few have explored the effect of kiddy dentures on upper arch development.

Methods: Fourteen Taiwanese children (7 male and 7 female) who were wearing kiddy dentures due to the loss of their upper anterior teeth were enrolled in this study. Inclusion criteria were the premature loss of maxillary incisors, the patient wearing kiddy dentures with both upper primary first molars as abutments, and the patient having complete records allowing a full longitudinal clinical follow-up. Dental casts were obtained immediately (T1), at 6 months (T2), and at 12 months (T3) after delivery of the kiddy dentures. The measured parameters included intercanine width (ICW, C1 to C2), interfirst molar width (IDW, D1 to D2), and intersecond molar width (IEW, E1 to E2). All the measurements were performed by one experienced examiner using a vernier caliper.

Results: The mean ages of the enrolled children for the periods T1, T2, and T3 were 43.8 ± 8.3 months, 50.6 ± 8.5 months, and 56.7 ± 8.4 months, respectively. There was no significant difference in gender when ICW, IDW, and IEW were compared. The mean changes in ICW values were 23.6 ± 6.2 mm, 24.2 ± 5.9 mm, and 24.6 ± 6.4 mm for T1, T2, and T3, respectively. There were statistically significant differences between T1 and T2, T2 and T3, and T1 and T3 for ICW (p < 0.05). The mean changes in IDW were 25.7 ± 8.4 mm, 25.8 ± 9.0 mm, and 25.8 ± 9.1 mm for T1, T2, and T3, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference between T1 and T2, T2 and T3, and T1 and T3. The mean changes in IEW were 30.6 ± 10.1 mm, 31.2 ± 8.8 mm, and 31.3 ± 8.2 mm for T1, T2, and T3, respectively. There was statistical significance between T1 and T2 or T1 and T3 for IDW (p < 0.05).

Conclusion: Kiddy dentures do interfere with the transverse growth of the dental arch over the abutment tooth area during a 1-year follow-up period. However the teeth adjacent to the confined abutments still show transverse growth.