Breastfeeding Versus Bottle Feeding on Malocclusion in Children: A Meta-Analysis Study:

Background:Breastfeeding plays an important role in child health. However, there are doubts about its influence on malocclusions. Systematic reviews have yielded contradictory results.Research aim:This study aimed to investigate whether the type and duration of breastfeeding are associated with malocclusions in primary teething.Methods:The review strategy included several electronic databases, lists of references, reviews, dissertation and thesis websites, experts, and other relevant documents. Published and unpublished observational studies (N = 42) were reviewed using the Participants (children), Interventions (breastfeeding), Comparisons (bottle feeding), Outcomes (malocclusion), and Study design (observational) strategy, without restrictions on language or locale. Information about the authors, publication year, country of study, setting, study design, sample size, age, type and duration of exclusive and mixed breastfeeding, and malocclusions was recorded by two blinded evaluators. Quantitative meta-a...