Prevalence and Characteristics of Malocclusion among Dental Students at the University of Sciences and Technology in Yemen: A Cross Sectional Study

Background: Malocclusion, the misalignment of teeth and improper relation between dental arches, is a prevalent ailment that can result in a number of oral health problems. Few studies have looked at malocclusion patterns among dentistry students, who may have particular oral health traits, whereas most research focuses on general populations.


Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and characteristics of malocclusion, such as symmetry, face profile, angle classification, and arch crowding, in a sample population.


Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed on 220 subjects, classified according to age, gender, and the severity of malocclusion. The results were analyzed by SPSS: descriptive statistics and chi-square tests. A p-value of less than 0.05 was considered significant.


Results: The prevalence of malocclusion was found to be highest in Class I (65.5%), followed by Class II (10.5%) and Class III (8.6%). The most frequent dental anomaly was crowding (38.6%), and significant associations were observed between malocclusion types and arch crowding (p=0.002). The gender and age distribution did not show any significant difference (p > 0.05).


Conclusion: Class I malocclusion and crowding were found to be the most predominant among participants, thus underlining the importance of early orthodontic treatment. The findings of this study may serve as a reference for developing policies within dental academic institutions and provide a foundation for future research in orthodontic epidemiology.