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Children
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Oral Disease Prevention and Treatment for Children and Adolescents
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Oral Disease Prevention and Treatment for Children and Adolescents

A special issue of Children (ISSN 2227-9067). This special issue belongs to the section "Pediatric Dentistry & Oral Medicine".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (1 April 2025) | Viewed by 3818

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Tamara O. Perić

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Clinic for Pediatric and Preventive Dentistry, School of Dental Medicine, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
Interests: cariology; minimum intervention oral care; glass-ionomer cements; dental traumatology; oral health research
Prof. Dr. Evgenija Marković

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Clinic for Orthodontics, School of Dental Medicine, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
Interests: prevention of oral diseases; prevention and treatment of malocclusions; oro-facial dysfunctions

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

“The doctor of the future will give no medication but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, diet, and the cause and prevention of disease” (Thomas A. Edison, 1903). Today, the future has become a reality. The best way to care for our patients is to prevent disease before it requires treatment. Good oral health has significant impact on an individual’s general health and well-being. By promoting preventive dental care, screening, and the early treatment of oral diseases in children and adolescents, we can establish a strong foundation for healthy adulthood. Despite the progress that has been made in oral health awareness and education over the last few decades, oral diseases remain among the leading chronic diseases in children. In addition to caries, the most prevalent oral disease, periodontal diseases and malocclusions have tremendous impacts on both oral and general health. There is a need to shift from the traditional invasive dental treatment of children to a more personalized approach.

For this Special Issue, we welcome submissions of research papers, communications, reviews, and case reports addressing the themes of epidemiology, analysis of oral health care for children, oral health education, and the identification, screening, effective prevention, and non-invasive strategies for the management of oral diseases and malocclusions.

Prof. Dr. Tamara O. Perić
Prof. Dr. Evgenija Marković
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Children is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • oral disease prevention
  • oral disease treatment
  • malocclusions
  • epidemiology
  • children
  • adolescents

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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13 pages, 233 KiB  
Article
Prevalence of Early Childhood Caries in 3- to 6-Year-Old Children in Serbia: A National Pathfinder Study
by Tamara Peric, Evgenija Markovic, Jovan Markovic, Bojan Petrovic, Biljana Kilibarda, Ana Vukovic and Dejan Markovic
Children 2025, 12(6), 692; https://doi.org/10.3390/children12060692 - 28 May 2025
Abstract
This study aimed to assess dental caries status of 3- to 6-year-old preschool children in the Republic of Serbia. Stratified cluster sampling was implemented. Children were examined in four administrative regions of Serbia. Dental caries indices (decayed, missing, and filled) for deciduous teeth [...] Read more.
This study aimed to assess dental caries status of 3- to 6-year-old preschool children in the Republic of Serbia. Stratified cluster sampling was implemented. Children were examined in four administrative regions of Serbia. Dental caries indices (decayed, missing, and filled) for deciduous teeth and the first permanent molar were recorded at the tooth level (dmft, DMFT) and surface level (dfs, DFS). In addition to cavitated caries lesions (ICDAS 3-6), visual changes in enamel (ICDAS 1-2) were recorded. This study included 1060 3-year-old and 1820 6-year-old children in Serbia. Fifty-six percent of 3-year-olds and 21% of 6-year-olds were caries-free. The mean dmft was 2.11 ± 3.45 for 3-year-olds and 4.46 ± 3.69 for 6-year-olds. The mean dfs was 2.62 ± 5.56 for 3-year-olds and 6.06 ± 6.33 for 6-year-olds. The decayed component was dominant in dmft/dfs. The prevalence of surfaces with initial lesion was 8% for 3-year-olds and 13% for 6-year-olds. Among children diagnosed with early childhood caries, 54% of 3-year-olds and 37% of 6-year-olds had a severe form. The mean DMFT was 0.15 ± 0.55, with only the first permanent molars being affected. Dental caries remains a significant public dental health issue among preschool children in Serbia. There is a noticeable trend of increasing numbers of decayed teeth as children progress through their preschool years. It is imperative to take corrective action enhance the existing oral health prevention program in Serbia with the aim of achieving better dental health among preschool children. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Oral Disease Prevention and Treatment for Children and Adolescents)
10 pages, 463 KiB  
Article
Parental Perceptions and Family Impact on Adolescents’ Oral Health-Related Quality of Life in Relation to the Severity of Malocclusion and Caries Status
by Berfin Karbeyazgün Çınar, Rosaria Bucci, Vincenzo D’Antò, Simona Cascella, Roberto Rongo and Rosa Valletta
Children 2025, 12(4), 425; https://doi.org/10.3390/children12040425 - 28 Mar 2025
Viewed by 358
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Parents/caregivers’ reports are valuable because they frequently play a crucial role in making decisions concerning a child’s health, and their perspectives can significantly impact treatment choices. Furthermore, negative effects of oral health issues extend beyond just the adolescent patient, having an impact [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Parents/caregivers’ reports are valuable because they frequently play a crucial role in making decisions concerning a child’s health, and their perspectives can significantly impact treatment choices. Furthermore, negative effects of oral health issues extend beyond just the adolescent patient, having an impact on family life. The aim of this study is to explore the perception of parents/caregivers regarding their children’s oral-health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) and how the OHRQoL of adolescents impacts their family life. Methods: The Parental-Caregiver Perception Questionnaire-16 (P-CPQ-16) and the Family Impact Scale-8 (FIS-8) were administered to 160 parents/caregivers of adolescents aged 10–18 years old at the Dental Clinic of the University of Naples Federico II (Italy). Adolescents’ oral health status was recorded using the Decayed Missing and Filled Teeth (DMFT/dmft) index and Dental Aesthetic Index (DAI). Results: FIS-8 and P-CPQ-16 scores showed no significant differences across DAI and DMFT/dmft subgroups. However, regression analysis found a significant association between social well-being and total P-CPQ-16 scores with the DAI and DMFT index. Spearman’s correlation showed statistical significance only for the social well-being domain of P-CPQ-16 with respect to DAI scores. Conclusions: Parents/caregivers perceived a difference in their children’s OHRQoL according to different severities of malocclusion and dental caries; however, they did not report any impact on the family’s quality of life. Since adolescents often visit dentists due to parental influence, involving parents who perceive a lower quality of life in children with severe malocclusions or compromised oral health is crucial for effective care. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Oral Disease Prevention and Treatment for Children and Adolescents)
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15 pages, 3632 KiB  
Article
Correlation Between Dental Age, Chronological Age, and Cervical Vertebral Maturation in Patients with Class II Malocclusion: A Retrospective Study in a Romanian Population Group
by Mircea Ghergie, Cristina Dora Ciobotaru, Ruxandra Pop, Ioana Colceriu-Șimon, Olimpia Bunta, Mihaela Pastrav and Dana Feștilă
Children 2025, 12(4), 398; https://doi.org/10.3390/children12040398 - 21 Mar 2025
Viewed by 406
Abstract
Background/Objectives: The relationship between chronological age, dental age, and cervical vertebral maturation is critical for assessing the reliability of dental age as an indicator of skeletal age and for identifying the patient’s growth peak. This assessment facilitates the planning of appropriate orthodontic-orthopedic [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: The relationship between chronological age, dental age, and cervical vertebral maturation is critical for assessing the reliability of dental age as an indicator of skeletal age and for identifying the patient’s growth peak. This assessment facilitates the planning of appropriate orthodontic-orthopedic treatment. Methods: This retrospective observational study analyzed data from the Clinical Department of Orthodontics and Dento-Facial Orthopedics in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. The sample included 73 patients with Class II malocclusion (31 males and 42 females), with data obtained from orthopantomography and lateral cephalometric radiographs. Dental age was evaluated using both the Demirjian method and the Chronology of Eruption method. Skeletal age was determined based on Baccetti’s cervical vertebral maturation (CVM) staging method. Results: A strong and statistically significant correlation was found between cervical vertebral maturation and chronological age (r = 0.81, p < 0.001), as well as between cervical vertebral maturation and dental age assessed using the Demirjian method (rs = 0.72, p < 0.001). Additionally, a significant correlation was observed between cervical vertebral maturation and dental age assessed using the Chronology of Eruption method (rs = 0.78, p < 0.001). Conclusions: The correlation found between dental age and skeletal maturity suggests that dental age (DA) assessment might serve as a supplementary tool for estimating a patient’s growth peak in Class II malocclusion cases. Future research exploring the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in panoramic radiograph analysis could improve the accuracy and consistency of DA assessment, contributing to more reliable skeletal maturity evaluations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Oral Disease Prevention and Treatment for Children and Adolescents)
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9 pages, 262 KiB  
Article
Real-World Evidence on the Prevalence of Molar Incisor Hypomineralization in School Children from Bucharest, Romania
by Beatrice Ciocan, Mihai Săndulescu and Rodica Luca
Children 2023, 10(9), 1563; https://doi.org/10.3390/children10091563 - 16 Sep 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1902
Abstract
Molar incisor hypomineralization (MIH) is an understudied and underrecognized clinical entity occurring in children. We performed a cross-sectional study to determine the real-world prevalence of MIH among school children undergoing routine dental checkups at one primary and middle school in Bucharest, Romania. Our [...] Read more.
Molar incisor hypomineralization (MIH) is an understudied and underrecognized clinical entity occurring in children. We performed a cross-sectional study to determine the real-world prevalence of MIH among school children undergoing routine dental checkups at one primary and middle school in Bucharest, Romania. Our study cohort consisted of 266 children with evaluable data, of which 143 (53.8%) were males, with a median age of 10 years old (interquartile range: 8–11 years). In this study cohort, we have identified a prevalence of 14.3% (n = 38 cases) of MIH. Among patients diagnosed with MIH, hypomineralizations were present in 47.4% of children on the maxillary first molar, 92.1% on the mandibular first molar, 94.7% on the maxillary incisor, 36.8% on the mandibular incisor, and 5.3% on the deciduous second molar. We identified the maxillary incisor and the mandibular first molar as the most important examined sites significantly associated with the presence of MIH (p < 0.0001 each), highlighting the importance of paying focused attention to these sites during routine dental care in children. In order to establish the diagnosis of MIH, findings of hypomineralization should be present on at least one permanent first molar, according to the case definition currently in use; this definition does not include findings on the incisors. Thus, our finding that hypomineralization of the maxillary incisors is significantly associated with MIH is particularly important. While incisor hypomineralization is not diagnostic of MIH, based on our results, we conclude that it should raise the suspicion of MIH and lead to an attentive examination of the permanent molars in order to establish timely diagnosis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Oral Disease Prevention and Treatment for Children and Adolescents)

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9 pages, 1872 KiB  
Case Report
Early Intervention with a Preformed Eruption Guidance Appliance After the Excision of Cemento-Ossifying Fibroma: A Case Report
by Yeonjin Ju, Soyoung Park, Jonghyun Shin, Taesung Jeong and Eungyung Lee
Children 2025, 12(3), 379; https://doi.org/10.3390/children12030379 - 18 Mar 2025
Viewed by 326
Abstract
Background: Cemento-ossifying fibroma (COF) is a benign, non-aggressive fibro-osseous tumor in which normal bone is replaced by fibrous tissue containing collagen fibers, bone, or cementum-like material. Although COF is rare in children, its occurrence requires careful management due to its potential impact on [...] Read more.
Background: Cemento-ossifying fibroma (COF) is a benign, non-aggressive fibro-osseous tumor in which normal bone is replaced by fibrous tissue containing collagen fibers, bone, or cementum-like material. Although COF is rare in children, its occurrence requires careful management due to its potential impact on tooth development and occlusion. Surgical excision is the widely used treatment; however, post-operative occlusal guidance is crucial, particularly in pediatric patients. Case report: This case report presents the early intervention using a preformed eruption guidance appliance (EGA) following the excision of COF in a 5-year-old boy. The patient exhibited premature loss of the primary canine and displacement of the devel-oping permanent tooth bud. After surgical excision, an EGA was applied to facilitate proper eruption of the successor teeth and optimize oral muscle function. Over a four-year follow-up period, the permanent teeth in the affected area erupted favorably, and intercuspal relationships improved during the transition from primary to mixed dentition. Conclusions: Given the limited research on the long-term effects of COF on developing dentition, long-term follow-up and additional studies are necessary to further evaluate its impact and the effectiveness of eruption guidance appliances in pediatric patients. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Oral Disease Prevention and Treatment for Children and Adolescents)
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