Prevalence and factors related to malocclusion, normative and perceived orthodontic treatment need among children and adolescents in Bangladesh.

Zakir Hossain,Sharmin Sultana

doi:10.1590/2177-6709.24.3.44.e1-9.onl

Abstract

ABSTRACTObjective: The purpose of the present study was to assess the prevalence of normative and perceived orthodontic treatment need in schoolchildren and adolescents, related risk factors, and children/parent’s aesthetic perception, compared to orthodontist’s opinion, in Dhaka city, Bangladesh. Methods: A random sample of 800 schoolchildren aging 11-15 years was selected from different schools in the city of Dhaka, Bangladesh. The Dental Health Component (DHC) and Aesthetic Component (AC) of the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (IOTN) were assessed as normative treatment need. The Decayed, Missing, Filled Teeth (DMFT) index was used to record caries experience. Children were interviewed on the perception of orthodontic treatment need. Parents also completed a questionnaire on the perception of their child’s orthodontic treatment need, assessed by AC/ IOTN. Results: According to the DHC/IOTN, only 24.7% were in the category of definite need (grade 4-5) for orthodontic treatment. A significant difference was found between the clinician/children and clinician/parents perceived AC score of IOTN (p= 0.0001). Multiple logistic regression showed children with a higher DMFT were significantly more likely to need orthodontic treatment, according to the DHC of IOTN. Conclusion: A low proportion of schoolchildren needs normative orthodontic treatment in the city of Dhaka, Bangladesh. Children with a higher DMFT score were significantly more likely to need orthodontic treatment, according to the DHC of IOTN.

Highlights

Malocclusion may play an important role in social acceptance and interactions, for esthetic reasons, and may result in functional limitations in more serious instances
I.e. 39.4%, had at least one dental caries lesion; 17% had a history of one extraction of deciduous teeth; 24.7% had visited a dentist in the previous year, and only 0.8% of the children had already used orthodontic devices
The percentage distribution of the schoolchildren according to the Dental Health Component (DHC) of the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (IOTN) showed that almost half of them (49%) were in the category of ‘little or no treatment need’ (Grade 1-2), 26.2% were in the category of ‘borderline treatment need’ (Grade 3), and only 24.7% were in the category of ‘definite need’ (Grade 4-5) for orthodontic treatment (Fig 1)

Summary

Introduction

Malocclusion may play an important role in social acceptance and interactions, for esthetic reasons, and may result in functional limitations in more serious instances. Much attention has been focused on assessing the severity and prevalence of malocclusion and orthodontic treatment need worldwide.[1]. Several local factors, such as adverse oral habits, tooth anomalies, shape and position of developing teeth may cause malocclusion. It has been reported that a significant number of children are inappropriately referred for orthodontic treatment, underlying the necessity of objective or normative assessment of orthodontic treatment by using an index.[1,3,4,5,6]

Methods

Results

Conclusion