Sucking habits and occlusion in 3-year-old children.

The material for the present study comprises plaster models of 310 Copenhagen children, impressions for which were taken during the month each child attained the age of 3 years. The occlusion was related to information concerning the child's sucking habits up to the time of the study. The effect of sucking habits of sagittal occlusion was observed in the canine region and the molar region. A higher proportion of distal canine relationships was recorded in children who continued to suck dummies at the age of 3 years than among finger-suckers of children who have never sucked. In primary second molar region no significant difference was recorded between the various sucking groups. The open bite is clearly dominant among children who persist with a sucking habit.