Why Is It Important To Prevent Malocclusion?

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Worldwide, malocclusion is becoming more and more common. It is estimated that 40-80% of the overall population is effected by malocclusion (5). Malocclusion occurs when teeth are misaligned, and impairs the functions of the craniofacial structures: the jaw, tongue, and facial muscles (1, 2). Breastfeeding may be the solution to this problem, as the mechanism of breastfeeding can help prevent malocclusion. When compared to bottle-feeding, breastfeeding encourages the palate to adopt the correct shape. The human breast tissue is flexible and responds to the action of the infant’s tongue. Breastfeeding helps shape the infant’s palate into the proper “U” shape; an infant who is bottle-fed would develop an unnatural “V” shaped palate. When the

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