Table 1.
Summary of characteristics and results of the included studies
| Study, year | Study design, country | Sample size | Follow-up | Age range (mean ± SD) in months | Characteristics of the control group | Examined orofacial structures | Results: Pacifier group | Results: Control group |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adair et al., 1995 [12] | Cross-sectional study, USA | 218 | No | 24–59 (44 ± 9) | No sucking habits | AOB, PCB, overjet, molar and canine relationship | AOB: 16.7%**, PCB:15%*, overjet (≥ 4 mm): 20%*, class II primary canine relationship: 17.7%*, distal step molar relationship: 9.6%* | AOB: 3.1%, PCB: 5.1%, overjet (≥ 4 mm): 10.2%, class II primary canine relationship: 9.3%, distal step molar relationship: 3.6% |
| de Sousa et al., 2014 [23] | Cross-sectional study, Brazil | 732 | No | 36–60 | No pacifier sucking habits | AOB, PCB | AOB: 38.6.9%***, PCB: 18.2%***, AOB ≥ 36 months pacifier sucking: 73.5% vs < 36 months pacifier sucking: 19.5%***, PCB ≥ 36 months pacifier sucking: 25.5% vs < 36 months pacifier sucking: 15.5%* | AOB: 5.2%, PCB: 5.7% |
| Dimberg et al., 2010 [24] | Cross-sectional study, Sweden | 457 | No | 36 ± 3 | No sucking habits | AOB, PCB, overjet, class II canine relationship | AOB: 66%***, PCB: 25%***, overjet (> 4 mm): 28%***, class II canine relationship: 34%*** | AOB: 1%, PCB: 1%, overjet (> 4 mm): 4%, class II canine relationship: 2% |
| Duncan et al., 2008 [10] | Prospective cohort study, Great Britain | 867 | 0–61 months of age (questionnaire after 15, 24, and 36 months of age, clinical examination after 31, 43, and 61 months of age) | 31, 43, and 61 | No sucking habits | AOB, PCB, spaced labial segment | Pacifier sucking at 15 months: presence of AOB at 31, 43, and 61 months**, presence of PCB at 31, 43, and 61 months***, spaced upper labial segment at 61 months***, spaced lower labial segment at 31 months*** Pacifier sucking at 24 months: presence of AOB at 31, 43, and 61 months***, presence of PCB at 31, 43, and 61 months***, alignment of the upper labial segment at 43 and 61 months**, alignment of the lower labial segment at 31 months*** Pacifier sucking at 36 months: presence of AOB at 43 and 61 months***, presence of PCB at 43 and 61 months ***, alignment of the upper labial segment at 61 months***, alignment of the lower labial segment at 43 months*** |
No data in paper |
| Facciolli Hebling et al., 2008 [25] | Cross-sectional study, Brazil | 728 | No | 60 | No pacifier sucking habits | AOB, PCB | AOB: 81.5%***, PCB: 27.1*** | AOB: 11.85%, PCB: 13.73% |
| Katz and Rosenblatt, 2005 [26] | Prospective cohort study, Brazil | 305 | 1 year | At the beginning average age: 48 ± 5 | No sucking habits | AOB | AOB: 72% of the AOB group was pacifier sucking (initial examination) and 59% in the final examination* | AOB: 16% of the AOB group had no sucking habits (initial examination) and 23% in the final examination |
| Lagana et al., 2013 [27] | Cross-sectional study, Albania | 2617 | No | 84–180 | No control group | Molar and canine relationship | Molar and canine relationship: no statistically significant correlation | |
| Lima et al., 2016 [15] | Prospective cohort study, Brazil | 220 | Birth up to the age of 29 ± 2 months; T1: birth, T2: questionnaire after 12–24 months, T3: clinical examination at the age of 24–36 months | 24–36 (29 ± 2) | No pacifier sucking habits | AOB, PCB, overjet, molar and canine relationship, deep overbite | AOB: 96.3%**, PCB: 88.9%*, overjet (> 2 mm): 67.5%***, distal step of primary molar: 77.8%***, mesial step of primary molar: 6%***, flush: 85.7%***, deep overbite: 77.8%*** | AOB: 3.7%, PCB: 11.1%, overjet (> 2 mm): 32.5%, distal step of primary molar: 22.2%, mesial step of primary molar: 64%, flush: 22.8%, deep overbite: 22.2% |
| Melsen et al., 1979 [28] | Cross-sectional study, Denmark | 723 | No | 120–132 | No sucking habits | AOB, PCB, overjet, molar and canine relationship, swallowing (normal swallow (NSW), tongue-thrust swallow (TTS), teeth-apart swallow (TAS), deep overbite | AOB: 8.5%, NSW: 0.6%, TTS: 34%, TAS: 12.4%, PCB: 14.1%***, NSW: 12.4%, TTS: 14.9%***, TAS: 17.1%*, increased overjet: 23.3%, NSW: 13.9%, TTS: 51.1%, TAS: 26%, bilateral distal occlusion: 41.4%***, NSW: 24.5%, TTS: 74.5%, TAS: 56.3%, mesial occlusion: 1.9%**, NSW: 2.2%**, TTS: 1.1%, TAS: 1.9%, deep overbite: 32%, NSW: 34.1%*, TTS: 22.3%, TAS: 33.5% | AOB: 5.2%, NSW: 1.4%, TTS: 25%, TAS: 9.5%, PCB: 3.1%, NSW: 2.8%, TTS: 0%, TAS: 4.7%, increased overjet: 15.9%, NSW: 7.4%, TTS: 50%, TAS: 38.5%, bilateral distal occlusion: 24%, NSW: 14.9%, TTS: 62.5%, TAS: 38.1%, mesial occlusion: 0%, NSW: 0%, TTS: 0%, TAS: 0%, Deep overbite: 25%, NSW: 22.4%, TTS: 11.7%, TAS: 38.1% |
| Moimaz et al., 2014 [3] | Prospective cohort study, Brazil | 80 | Birth up to 30 months of age (questionnaire after 12, 18, and 30 months of age, clinical examination at the 30 months of age | 30 | No control group | AOB, PCB, overjet, overbite (> 3 mm) | AOB and overjet (> 3 mm): pacifier sucking stop at 12***, 18, and 30***months, PCB: pacifier sucking stop at 12, 18, and 30 months, overbite (> 3 mm): pacifier sucking stop at 12, 18, and 30** months | |
| Scavone et al., 2007 [29] | Cross-sectional study, Brazil | 366 | No | 36–72 | No pacifier- and finger sucking habits | PCB | PCB: 20.4%**, pacifier sucking until 2 years of age: 17.2%*, pacifier sucking until 4 years of age: 16.9%*, pacifier sucking until 6 years of age: 27.3%** | PCB: 5.2% |
| Schlomer, 1984 [30] | Cross-sectional study, Germany | 582 | No | 36–72 | No sucking habits | AOB, PCB, overjet (no significance data in the study) (no significance data in the study at all) | AOB: 22.8%, PCB: 12.8%, overjet (> 3 mm): 13.2%, pacifier sucking (NUK) stop until 3 years: 3–4 years of age: AOB: 15.2%, PCB: 23.9%, overjet (> 3 mm):10.9%, 5 years of age: AOB: 9.6%, PCB: 11.5%, overjet (> 3 mm): 1.9%, 6 years pf age: AOB: 2.7%, PCB: 10.8%, overjet (> 3 mm): 5.4% (no statistical significance for all mentioned data) | AOB: 2.1%, PCB 0.7%, Overjet (> 3 mm): 12.2% |
| Tibolla et al., 2012 [31] | Cross-sectional study, Brazil | 237 | No | 36–168: Deciduous: 36–60, Mixed: 72–120, Permanent: 132–168 | No pacifier sucking habit | AOB | AOB: 36.5%***, deciduous dentition: 65%***, mixed dentition: 37.3%**, permanent dentition: 23.4%*, > 2 years pacifier sucking vs ≤ 2 years: in deciduous dentition: 83.3% vs. 11.5%***, mixed dentition: 47.6% vs. 11.7***, permanent dentition: 25.9 vs. 9.4%, no or/and only to sleep vs. all the time in deciduous dentition: 17.2% vs. 88.9%***, in mixed dentition: 15.7% vs. 44.4%**, in permanent dentition: 10.7% vs. 25% | AOB: 7.2%, deciduous: 0%, mixed: 11.7%, permanent: 3% |
| Wagner and Heinrich-Weltzien [16] | Randomized clinical trial, Germany | 86 | 3, 6, 9, and 12 months | 16–24 months (20.3) | Weaned of pacifier with a pacifier-associated open bite or overjet ≥ 2 mm | AOB, overjet | Overjet 2.7 ± 0.5 mm, AOB − 1.2 ± 0.3 mm | Overjet 2.4 ± 0.5 mm, AOB − 0.8 ± 0.8 mm |
| Warren and Bishara, 2002 [32] | Prospective cohort study, USA | 372 | Birth until 5 years (questionnaire after 3, 6, 9, 12, 20, and 24 months of age, after that yearly, clinical examination: 54–60 months age) | 54–60 | No control group | AOB, PCB, overjet, molar and canine relationship, vertical overbite, arch width | AOB: 24–36 months pacifier sucking: lower prevalence than < 12 months**, PCB: 24–36 months had a higher prevalence of PCB than ≤24 months**, overjet (≥4 mm): 24–36 months pacifier sucking: lower prevalence than < 12 months, class II canine relationship: 24–36 months pacifier sucking: slightly higher prevalence than < 12 months, arch width and depths measurements: only small differences between < 12 months and 12–36 months pacifier sucking, vertical overbite (mm): not statistically significant between pacifier sucking less than 12 months, 12 to 24 months, and 24 to 36 months. | |
| Zimmer et al., 2011 [13] | Prospective cohort study, Germany | 121 | 0–26 months | 16 ± 4 | No pacifier sucking habit | AOB, overjet | AOB: NUK-group: 38%***, Dentistar group: 5%, overjet (mm): NUK-group: 1.7 ± 1.4, Dentistar group: 1.3 ± 1.0 | AOB: 0%, overjet: 1 ± 1 mm |
| Zimmer et al., 2016 [14] | Prospective cohort study, Germany | 121 | 12 months | 20–36 | No pacifier sucking habit | AOB, overjet, molar and canine relationship, deep overbite | AOB: NUK-group: 50%, Dentistar group: 6.7%, increased overjet: NUK-group: 19%, Dentistar group: 31.1%**, class II primary canine and molar relationship: NUK-group: 11.1%, Dentistar group: 4.8%, deep overbite: NUK-group: 2.4%, Dentistar group: 6.7%, | AOB: 0%, increased overjet: 5.9%, class II primary canine and molar relationship: 2.9%, deep overbite: 8.9% |
AOB anterior open bite, PCB posterior crossbite, NSW normal swallow, TTS tongue-thrust swallow, TAS teeth-apart swallow
*p < 0.05; **p < 0.01; ***p < 0.001