Path Model of Risk Factors for Age at Primary Tooth Eruption: A Cohort Study of Preterm and Term Infants

Several factors have been associated with delayed eruption of primary teeth. Thus, the objective of the study was to test a path model of the direct and indirect birth-related risk factors influencing the age of first primary tooth eruption in infants. Cohort study with 43 preterm and 48 full-term infants aged at least four months. Infants were monitored monthly to verify the chronology of eruption of the first primary tooth. Mothers responded to sociodemographic and health behavior questionnaire. Principal Component Analysis and path analysis were performed. Two models were constructed: chronological and corrected age of tooth eruption. Model using chronological age of tooth eruption demonstrated that preterm infants had an increased risk of having later tooth eruption compared to those born at term (β = 0.888; p < 0.001). Indirect associations were found between socioeconomic and health conditions with the age of tooth eruption, mediated by gestational age. The same direct and indirect associations were also found for corrected age, with differences only in β values. It is concluded that preterm infants exhibited higher risk of delayed tooth eruption compared to full-term infants, considering both chronological and corrected age. Gestational age mediated the association between socioeconomic and health conditions with the age of tooth eruption.