Normal occlusion in maturational life process

ABSTRACT Introduction: An increase in life expectancy was observed in the past years. Consequently, the knowledge of the maturational changes in the occlusion is highly important to guide clinicians during treatment planning. Objective: In this article, the occlusal and facial aging changes occurred during almost 50 years of follow-up are described. A normal occlusion sample from Bauru Dental School, University of São Paulo, Brazil, was evaluated at 13 (T1), 17 (T2) and 60 (T3) years of age. The maturational changes observed in digital dental models and cephalometric radiographs were presented. A revision of the aging process, under the gerontology and psychology perspectives, was also explored. Discussion: Maturational changes in non-treated individuals were very delicate. Mandibular crowding, decrease in the overbite, changes in the maxillary second molar position, increase in the clinical crown length, dental wear and discoloration were observed. Conclusion: Compared to the remarkable facial and skin changes during aging, the occlusion seems to be the most stable feature of the face during the aging process. Final considerations: An adequate oral care throughout lifetime makes the smile the best memory of youth at mature ages.