ABSTRACT
The aims of this study were to investigate the prevalence of spaced, closed, and crowded primary dentitions by sex and arch in Korean children from Kanghwa, and to determine the frequency of the primate and developmental spaces. The differences in the mesiodistal crown diameters and the arch dimensions between the spaced, closed, and crowded primary dentitions were also evaluated. Dental casts of 102 preschool children (57 males and 45 females, aged 4 ~ 5 years) were studied. The prevalence of spacing in the primary dentition was 63.2% in males and 57.8% in females. The frequency of spacing was greater in males than in females, and greater in the maxillary arch than in the mandibular arch. The crowns were significantly larger and the arches significantly narrower in closed and crowded dentitions than in those with spacing (p < 0.05). The results showed that the prevalence of spacing was lower than that found in previous studies and the presence of spacing in the anterior region was related to the mesiodistal crown diameter and the intercanine width.