Culturally different population groups have distinct infant feeding practices, which presumably may be related to diverse occlusal features in the primary dentition. Aim: To investigate the associations between nutritive and non-nutritive sucking habits and the prevalence of anterior open bite, in children from Aragua-Venezuela and São Paulo-Brazil. Methods: Seven calibrated examiners (κ = 0.89-1.0) performed clinical assessments in Venezuelans (N = 809) and Brazilians (N = 1,377) aged 3-6 years. Sucking habits were investigated using questionnaires answered by the mothers. Data were analyzed using logistic regression models (α = 0.05). Results: Among 380 children with anterior open bite, 309 were Brazilians. Approximately 65% of Brazilians with pacifier-sucking habit lasting beyond 3 years of age had this malocclusion. Brazilians who prolonged pacifier and digit-sucking habits beyond 3 years of age have, respectively, 68.5 and 14.5 times more chances of presenting anterior open bite than children without sucking habits (p