[The need of efficient chewing function in young children as prevention of dental malposition and malocclusion].

The eating behaviors (including breast-feeding, early edge to edge incisor bite and the chewing cycle) progressively induce, among children, continuous stimulations of the growth of the maxillaries and of the dento-alvéolar structures. Unfortunately, with our usual modern soft, tenderized or semi-fluid diet, there is now a failing chewing function and the stress on the growth process are often insufficient. Many dental malpositions and malocclusions result from such "functional atrophies" of the maxillaries due to an underdevelopment of the dental arches involving incisal crowdings and lateral cross-bites. The lack of progressive natural grindings of the primary teeth and the consequent lack of development of an attritional occlusion in the deciduous dentition are signs of a poorly trained mastication and a bad prognosis for the alignment of the permanent incisors.