Abstract
The Dental Aesthetic Index (DAI) is an orthodontic index based on socially defined aesthetic standards. The DAI is useful in both epidemiological surveys to identify need for orthodontic treatment as shown by its use by WHO in ICS-II and as a screening device to determine priority for subsidized orthodontic treatment. Malocclusion in 1029 Japanese students and 176 Chinese students in Taiwan were evaluated using the DAI and the results were compared with those of 485 Native American students and 1337 white American students. The mean DAI scores on each of the ethnic groups, Japanese, Chinese in Taiwan, Native Americans and white Americans were 30.1, 25.9, 31.8 and 26.5. The mean DAI score of Japanese students is not significantly different from that of Native Americans, but significantly higher than those of Chinese in Taiwan and white Americans. There was no significant difference of the DAI scores between Chinese in Taiwan and white Americans. The results suggest that Japanese and Native American students possess higher need for orthodontic treatment than Chinese in Taiwan and white American students and that there is no common tendency of the DAI scores among three Mongoloid ethnic groups. On the other hand, characteristics of malocclusion in each Mongoloid ethnic group was evaluated by analysis for each DAI component (the DAI is composed of ten components). The results revealed common characteristics of malocclusion in Mongoloid groups as compared with the white American group as a standard. Mongoloid groups are greatly inferior to the white American group in four components of the DAI ; crowding in the incisal segments, largest anterior irregularity (maxilla), largest anterior irregularity (mandible) and antero-posterior molar relation. The findings in this study indicate that epidemiological survey using the DAI is useful not only for assessing and screening need for orthodontic treatment but also as a device to evaluate occlusal features in anthropological meaning, and strongly suggests an importance of heredity in etiology in malocclusion.
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