ERUPTION PATTERN IN THE PRIMARY DENTITION OF PREMATURE LOW-BIRTH-WEIGHT CHILDREN

This study evaluated the eruption pattern of primary teeth in prematurely-born children with low birth weight who were intubated orally during their neonatal period. A total of thirty-one premature children, with ages between fifteen months to five years, were examined clinically. The birth weights ranged from 1000 grams (n = 9); 1000-1500 grams (n = 15); and 1500 grams or more (n = 7). The age-groups ranged from 12-24 months (n = 8); 25-36 months (n = 15); and 37 months or more (n = 8). The period of intubation ranged from one to seventy-five days, with 55 percent of children intubated for two weeks or less. No correlation was observed between the number of erupted teeth and either birth weight or intubation period. When subjects in different age-groups were evaluated, however, it was found that 75 percent under 24 months of age had delayed tooth eruption. The average number of erupted teeth for different age-groups were plotted and compared with those for normal, full-term children reported by Infante. Compared with the normal pattern, the prematurely born children under 24 months of age on the average showed 28 percent fewer erupted teeth.