Comparative evaluation of orthodontic treatment needs index and the dental aesthetic index to assess the need for orthodontic treatment from the participants' perspective: A cross-sectional study.

Abstract

Objective: The objective of this study was to compare the Dental Health Component (DHC) of the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (IOTN) with the Dental Aesthetic Index (DAI) in evaluating orthodontic treatment needs among adolescents. In addition, it sought to assess the concordance between adolescents' self-perception of the Aesthetic Component of the IOTN (AC-IOTN) with the evaluations made by orthodontic professionals.

Material and methods: A two-stage stratified cluster sampling method was used to select 248 high school students aged 11-14. Clinical examinations were conducted by specialist orthodontists. DAI, AC-IOTN, and DHC-IOTN were measured based on the students' occlusal morphology. Students also made self-assessments using the AC-IOTN.

Results: In terms of DHC-IOTN, 9.7% of students had severe cases that definitely needed treatment. The DAI assessment identified 5.2% with severe malocclusion and 4% with handicapping malocclusion. Using the AC-IOTN, the students assessed 4.8% of cases as severe, compared with 8.5% according to orthodontists. A comparative analysis of the results of the modified DAI and the DHC-IOTN, using Chi-squared test demonstrated highly significant differences between the two indices.

Conclusions: The study highlights the need for improved orthodontic assessment methods, preventive care, and enhanced dental education to improve students' oral health behaviors.