Original Research

Prevalence of Lip Incompetence in 6 to 12 Year Old Children Visiting University Hospital: A Retrospective Study

Year: 2024
Volume: 9
Issue: 2
Pages: 26–34

Authors

Kayal¹, Nikhil²

Author Affiliations

¹ Resident Dental Surgeon, Private Dental Clinic, Chennai, India
² Assistant Professor, Department of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry, JKK N Dental College, Tamil Nadu, India

Corresponding Author

Dr. Nikhil Das K R
PG Student
Department of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry
JKK N Dental College, Tamil Nadu, India
Email: nikhildaskr1991@gmail.com

Abstract

Lip competence, defined as the natural ability of the lips to close at rest, plays a vital role in maintaining oral health, supporting proper craniofacial development, and contributing to facial aesthetics. Lip incompetence refers to the inability to achieve lip closure without excessive muscle effort and is associated with several developmental and functional concerns such as malocclusion, altered facial growth, and oral dysfunctions. However, its prevalence and associated demographic factors in children remain insufficiently explored.

This retrospective study aimed to determine the prevalence of lip incompetence among children aged 6–12 years visiting a private dental college and hospital and to analyze its association with age and gender. A total of 1,635 orthodontic diagnostic records collected over a 10-year period (2010–2020) were reviewed. Demographic data and lip competence status were analyzed using SPSS software, and the Chi-square test was used to determine associations between variables.

The findings revealed that the majority of children (97.69%) demonstrated lip competence, while 0.85% were classified as incompetent and 1.47% as potentially competent. A statistically significant association was observed between age and lip competence (p < 0.05), whereas gender showed no significant relationship (p > 0.05).

The results indicate that lip incompetence is relatively rare but clinically relevant. Early identification and appropriate intervention are important to prevent potential developmental and orthodontic complications in growing children.

Keywords

Lip Competence, Lip Incompetence, Malocclusion, Pediatric Dentistry, Retrospective Study

Financial Support and Sponsorship

Nil

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

How to Cite This Article

Kayal, Nikhil.
Kayal et al, Prevalence of lip incompetence in 6 to 12 year old children visiting university hospital: A retrospective study. Int J Pedo Rehab 2024; 9(2):26-34. https://doi.org/10.56501/intjpedorehab.v9i2.1140