Association between occlusal features and masticatory function in Hong Kong preschool children: a survey with one-year longitudinal follow-up.

Background: Mastication is important for breaking down food, aiding swallowing and nutrients absorption, and is therefore fundamental to a child's development. Studies have shown poor masticatory function to be associated with younger age and presence of caries. However, studies of the association between masticatory function and malocclusion yielded contradictory results.