‫بسم هللا الرحمن الرحيم‬

College of Dentistry

Pedodontic I

Normal occlusion in children

Dr. Hazem El Ajrami

Occlusion at 3 years of age:
1. The relationship between the distal surfaces of
opposing second primary molars may be one of
the following:
A. Straight or flush terminal plane:
In which the distal surfaces of opposing
second primary molars are in the same coronal
plane.
B. Mesial step terminal plane:
In which the distal surface of the lower
second primary molar is mesial to the distal
surface of the maxillary second primary molar.
C. Distal step terminal plane:
In which the distal surface of the lower
second primary molar is distal to the distal
surface of the maxillary second primary
molar.
• The flush terminal plane is most frequently
seen at three years of age.
2. Presence of spacing between primary teeth:
 Incisor spacing to accommodate for the
larger size of permanent incisors.
 Primate spaces which are mesial to upper
C and distal to lower C. These spaces are
greater in the mandible than the maxilla.
 Spacing between primary molars.
3. Normal overbite.
Occlusion at 6 years of age:
1. At the age of 6 years, spacing persists
between the primary anterior teeth.
2. As a result of attrition and increase in
width of maxilla compared to mandible,
the mandible assumes a forward position
to maxilla i.e. edge-to-edge relationship.
3. At the age of 6 years, a mesial step terminal plane
is present where the distal surface of lower E is
about 2 mm. mesial to that of upper E. This is
due to:
 Bodily forward movement of mandible to
maxilla.
 Closure of spacing between primary teeth
especially the primate spaces which are greater
in the mandible than maxilla as a result of
eruption of first permanent molars at 6 years of
age. This allows the lower E to move more
forward than upper E producing a mesial step
terminal plane.
4. At 6 years of age the first permanent molars are
clinically visible and may assume one of the
following relations:
A. Class I molar relationship: mesiobuccal cusp of
upper 6 is at or near the buccal groove of lower
6.
B. Class II molar relationship: mesiobuccal cusp of
upper 6 is mesial to buccal groove of lower 6.
C. Class III molar relationship: mesiobuccal cusp of
upper 6 is distal to buccal groove of lower 6.
• The most desirable occlusion in the permanent
dentition is Class I interdigitation.
Occlusion at 8 to 9 years:
1. With the eruption of the upper and lower
permanent incisors there is an increase in depth
of overbite due to their greater height in
comparison to the reduced vertical dimension in
the primary molar area. This is corrected by the
eruption of premolars.
2. Presence of diastema between upper permanent
central incisors, which is normal for this age
(ugly duckling stage). This is corrected by the
eruption of the permanent canines when
pressure exerted by those teeth is transferred
from the roots to the crowns of permanent
incisors.
7 years old 9 years old 14 years old
Occlusion at 10 to 12 years:
1. Diastema between upper central incisors is closed
by the eruption of permanent canines.
2. With the eruption of premolars, the vertical
dimension is increased which corrects the deep
overbite.
3. Closure of Leeway spaces: difference between
combined mesiodistal width of C, D & E (larger)
and 3, 4 &5 (smaller).
• This space is greater in the mandible (1.7 mm)
than in maxilla (0.9 mm) which allows the lower
first permanent molar to move more forward than
the upper first permanent molar and assume a
normal relationship.
Thank You