Transient malocclusions are self-correcting developmental variations that occur during dental development. In the pre-dentate period, infants have a retrognathic mandible that corrects over time. In the primary dentition, children commonly have an anterior open bite, deep anterior bite, spacing between teeth, and an edge-to-edge anterior bite that self-correct. In the mixed dentition, a deep bite and crowding are common but resolve with time. The permanent dentition may show increased overjet and overbite during transition that lessen without treatment.

2. TRANSIENT
MALOCCLUSIONS

3. Transient malocclusions
These are self-correcting malocclusions
encountered during the development of
the dental occlusion, which are normal
for that age.

4. TRANSIENT
MALOCCLUSIONS
IN
THE
PREDENTATE
PERIOD

5. Retrognathic Mandible
When neonatal jaws are closed, there is
contact only in the posterior region of
the gum pads & the mandible is severely
retruded in relation to the maxilla.

6. This retrognathia is for the most
part corrected by the increased pace
of forward growth of the mandible as
compared to that of the maxilla seen
in most people.
Although the mandibular deficit
(ANB) may approach 14° at birth, by
adulthood it is reduced to only 2°.

7. Infantile Swallowing
 The ability to feed from
the breast is present in
the new born child. During
the process of suckling the
nipple is drawn into the
mouth by negative
pressure. The tongue lies
over the lower gum pads &
protrudes between the
nipple & lower lip.

8.  The milk is directed continuously to the
pharynx by an automatic peristaltic
movement of the tongue & mylohyoid
muscle. During the process, regular
breathing continues. The milk passes
between the faucial pillar & the lateral
channel of the pharynx.
 The infantile swallowing pattern changes
to the mature or adult type during the
first year of life with the introduction of
solid foods in the diet.

9. Anterior open bite of the
gum pads
 Clinch & Sillman have shown that there is
rarely any contact between the gum pads
anteriorly when they are approximated,
contact being found only in the first molar
region.
 The open bite is corrected when the primary
incisor teeth erupt.

10. TRANSIENT
MALOCCLUSIONS
IN
THE
PRIMARY
DENTITION

11. Anterior Deep Bite
Primary teeth are upright i.e. they have an
almost vertical inclination with an interincisal
angle of about 150° between the maxillary and
mandibular primary central incisors. The
primary incisors generally erupt into a rather
deep overbite.
This deep bite is reduced by the eruption of
the primary molars & attrition of the incisal
edges of the primary anterior teeth.

13. Spacing
The primary dentition may classified as
Type I (spaced)
Type II (closed)
- Baume (1950)
Spaces in the primary dentition may be
 generalized (developmental/physiological
spaces) or
 localized (primate spaces)

14. Primate spaces:
 Spaces found mesial to the primary canine in
the maxilla & distal to the primary canine in the
mandible
 So called because most subhuman primates
have these spaces throughout life
 Also known as anthropoid or simian spaces

15. Significance of spacing
Spacing in the primary dentition is essential
to the normal eruption & alignment of the
larger permanent successors.
Failure of incisor spacing to appear before 5
years of age usually indicates crowding in the
permanent dentition.
Spaces that exist between the primary
molars usually close by the time of eruption
of the first permanent molars, whereas those
between the primary incisors persist until
these teeth are replaced.

16. Edge-to-edge bite
At 2 years, the overjet is on average 4 mm,
with a range of 2-6mm. With attrition of the
teeth, lengthening of the ramus & downward &
forward growth of the mandible, the overjet
exhibits a steady decrease up to the age of 5
years, where an edge-to-edge incisor
relationship is common.
This edge-to-edge incisal relationship is
corrected when the permanent incisors erupt.

17. Flush terminal plane
When the distal surface of maxillary and
mandibular deciduous second molar are in the same
vertical plane. this is the normal molar relationship
in the primary dentition because the mesiodistal
width of mandibular molar is greater than
maxillary molar.

18. TRASIENT
MALOCCLUSION
IN
MIXED DENTITION
PERIOD

19. Anterior deepbite
Deepbite because of larger permanent
incisors and shedding of primary molars which
is usually alleviated following exfoliation of
second primary molars.

20. Crowding in upper and lower
anterior region
After exchange of the canines which is
usually alleviated following exfoliation of
the second primary molars.

21. Ugly-Duckling Stage
It is an ugly arrangement of the anterior
teeth which is a merely a temporary phase
during the process of normal development.
Here the developing permanent canines
especially the upper canines cause mesial
displacement of the roots of permanent
incisors around the age of 8 to 9 years.
This cause a distal divergence of crown of
the incisors.

25. Initial end-on relationship
It is of the upper and lower first
permanent molars which is later corrected
when the lower first molar moves mesially
by utilizing the physiological spaces.

26. TRASIENT MALOCCLUSION
IN
PERMANENT DENTITION

27. Increased Overjet
It is the horizontal distance between the
lingual aspect of the maxillary incisors and
labial aspect of mandibular incisors.
During the transition of deciduous
anteriors with the permanent incisors
causes increased overjet beyond
2mm-3mm.

28. Increased Overbite
It is the distance which the incisal edge of
the maxillary incisors overlap vertically
past the incisal edge of the mandibular
incisors.
During the transition of deciduous incisors
with the permanent incisors causes
increases overbite 2-3mm

29. References:-
• Textbook of Pedodontics - Shobha
Tandon-
1st edi. – pg. 113-15
• Orthodontics The Art & Science – S.I.
Bhalajhi – 3rd edi. – pg.129-40