Browse by author
Lookup NU author(s): Andrew Aw
Full text for this publication is not currently held within this repository. Alternative links are provided below where available.
Objectives: The aims of this prospective study were to evaluate the self-perceived and normative orthodontic treatment needs of children referred for orthodontic consultation and to determine the proportion of children who were inappropriately referred. Methods: The sample consisted of 257 children with a mean age of 12.0 years (SD = 2.4). An orthodontist assessed the children's normative treatment need using the dental health component (DHC) of the index of orthodontic treatment need (IOTN), and for patients in the mixed dentition the need for interceptive treatment was assessed. Questionnaires were answered by both the child and the parent to assess satisfaction with dental appearance and desire for treatment. Results: The distribution of the IOTN grades showed that 73% of the children had definite need while 27% had borderline/no need for orthodontic treatment. Twenty-six per cent of children and 17% of parents did not express orthodontic concern, even though more than half of these children were in definite need of treatment as assessed by IOTN. The children's orthodontic concern was significantly related to the DHC scores. Out of the 103 children who were in the mixed dentition, only about 16% required interceptive treatment. Conclusions: The results indicated that a significant number of children were inappropriately referred for orthodontic treatment. Referring dentists need to assess the normative treatment needs of the children as well as the children's and parents' commitment and desire for orthodontic treatment before deciding on the need for referral.
Author(s): Chew MT, Aw AKL
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology
Year: 2002
Volume: 30
Issue: 6
Pages: 449-454
ISSN (print): 0301-5661
ISSN (electronic): 1600-0528
Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing, Inc.
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1034/j.1600-0528.2002.00017.x
DOI: 10.1034/j.1600-0528.2002.00017.x
Altmetrics provided by Altmetric
