Prevalence of malocclusion in Rwandan people in a hospital-based study

Introduction: Dental appearance and alignment is an important feature in determining the attractiveness of the face and plays a key role in social interaction.
Methodology: A descriptive, cross-sectional study involving 171 randomly selected participants of both genders in a 12-40-year age range was conducted to determine the prevalence of malocclusion and the associated risk factors among the people of Rwanda attending the dental department of King Faisal Hospital, Kigali. Various malocclusion traits and associated risk factors were evaluated by direct clinical examination.
Results: A high prevalence rate of malocclusion (93%) was found. Crowding (45–51%) was the most common malocclusion trait present, followed by abnormal overjet relations, spacing in upper arch, abnormal overbite and cross bite traits in that order. A high prevalence of open bite (14%) and midline diastema (24.6%) was found in Rwandese patients as compared to other races.
Conclusion: Malocclusion comprised of a combination of more than one trait which were found to be present in different combinations. In most of the participants, the malocclusion was associated with multiple risk factors.