Global Map of Skeletal and Dental Malocclusion Prevalence: From Classes to Continents

Malocclusion, ranked by the WHO as the third most critical oral health concern, impacts 39% to 93% of adolescents and teenagers worldwide, exhibiting variations influenced by age and ethnicity. Across sagittal, transverse, and vertical orientations, malocclusion poses physiological and social challenges, with 46% experiencing negative lifestyle impacts. To assess global prevalence and characteristics, Authors reviewed articles on skeletal abnormalities and malocclusions from the early 1990s to September 2023. Criteria included English-language research studies or meta-analyses focusing on Class I, Class II, and Class III malocclusions, malocclusion incidence, and dental anomalies such as open bite, deep bite, overjet, crowding, spacing, and crossbite. Prevalence globally varied for Class I (1.7-93.6%), Class II (7.4-84.0%), Class III (0.8-72.1%), and Angle Class I (0.5- 31 39.1%). Deep bite incidence ranged from 8.4% to 51.5%, influenced by ethnic and gender cofounders. Geographic variations were attributed to genetic and environmental factors, alongside methodological disparities, and categorization issues. Ambiguities in malocclusion prevalence arose from diverse research methodologies. Orthodontic epidemiology urgently requires standardized guidelines accepted by academia and professional groups to provide reliable data for healthcare recommendations. Geographic variations, influenced by genetic and environmental factors, contribute to the diverse prevalence of malocclusion globally. Methodological disparities and categorization issues create challenges, necessitating urgent development of standardized guidelines for orthodontic epidemiology. These guidelines, embraced by academia and professional groups, are crucial for providing accurate data to inform healthcare recommendations.