Exploring the impact of malocclusion and dentofacial anomalies on the occurrence of traumatic dental injuries in adolescents

Objective:To investigate the association between malocclusion/dentofacial anomalies and traumatic dental injuries (TDI) in adolescents.Materials and Methods:The sample of this cross-sectional study comprised 509 adolescents aged 11 to 14 years enrolled at public schools in the city of Osório, southern Brazil. Parents answered a structured questionnaire addressing demographic and socioeconomic characteristics. An examiner who had undergone a training and calibration exercise recorded malocclusion/dentofacial anomalies (Dental Aesthetic Index, DAI), TDI (Andreasen), and dental caries (World Health Organisation). Statistical analyses (SPSS software) involved Poisson regression with robust variance.Results:The prevalence of TDI was 11.6%, and the prevalence of defined, severe, and handicapping malocclusion was 24.0%, 21.6%, and 22.0%, respectively. The multivariate analysis demonstrated that the probability of TDI was approximately twofold higher among adolescents with severe malocclusion (prevalence ratio [PR] 2.22; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.14–4.31) and handicapping malocclusion (PR 1.95; 95% CI 1.01–3.85) in comparison to those with normal occlusion or minor malocclusion. Defined malocclusion was not significantly associated with the outcome. Among the dentofacial anomalies evaluated, the probability of TDI was nearly twofold higher among adolescents with overjet greater than 3 mm (PR 1.96; 95% CI 1.14–3.37) and 2.2-fold higher among those with an abnormal molar relationship (PR 2.24; 95% CI 1.17–4.32), after controlling for confounding variables.Conclusions:Severe and handicapping malocclusion, accentuated overjet, and abnormal molar relationship were strongly associated with the occurrence of TDI. Future studies should investigate whether the treatment of these conditions can help reduce the occurrence of TDI in adolescents.     

Assessment of orthodontic treatment needs in Brazilian schoolchildren according to the Dental Aesthetic Index (DAI)

OBJECTIVE: To assess the distribution, prevalence and severity of malocclusion and orthodontic treatment needs in schoolchildren from the northeast of Brazil aged between 13 and 15 years. RESEARCH DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. PARTICIPANTS: A sample of 600 adolescents (264 males and 336 females) randomly selected and representative of schoolchildren living in Recife (Brazil) was obtained from 12 public schools. METHOD: The need for orthodontic treatment was measured using the Dental Aesthetic Index (DAI). RESULTS: Most of the subjects (77%) were deemed to require orthodontic treatment. Only about 5.8% had a handicapping malocclusion that needed mandatory treatment. A severe malocclusion for which treatment was highly desirable was recorded in 47.5% of the adolescents and 23.7% had a definite malocclusion for which treatment was elective. Three main occlusal features were responsible for allocating subjects into the group of "orthodontic treatment required": crowding (47.3%), tooth loss (22.3%) and maxillary overjet of more than 3 mm (21.8%). There were no significant differences (p > 0.05) in mean DAI scores between males and females. CONCLUSIONS: 77% of adolescents from northeast Brazil were in need of orthodontic treatment for dental health reasons. The distribution of DAI scores among Brazilian adolescents is different from that reported in other populations. This study provides baseline data on the need and demand for orthodontic treatment among Brazilian students.     

Impact of malocclusion and dentofacial anomalies on the prevalence and severity of dental caries among adolescents

Objectives:To investigate the association between malocclusion/dentofacial anomalies and dental caries among adolescents.Materials and Methods:A cross-sectional study was conducted with 509 adolescents aged 11 to 14 years enrolled at public schools in the city of Osório in southern Brazil. Parents/caregivers answered a structured questionnaire on demographic and socioeconomic variables. A trained examiner recorded the presence of malocclusion (Dental Aesthetic Index [DAI]), traumatic dental injury, and dental caries. Data analysis involved the chi-square, Mann-Whitney, and Kruskal-Wallis tests. Poisson regression with robust variance was used for the multivariable analysis.Results:A total of 44.8% of the adolescents had dental caries (mean DFMT  =  1.33 ± 1.84). The DAI index ranged from 15 to 77 (mean  =  29.0 ± 7.9); 43.6% of the sample had severe malocclusion and 11.6% had traumatic dental injury. The prevalence and severity of dental caries were significantly greater among adolescents with severe malocclusion. The multivariate analysis demonstrated that adolescents with severe or handicapping malocclusion had a 31% greater probability of having dental caries (prevalence ratio: 1.31; 95% CI: 1.02–1.67), independently of demographic, socioeconomic, or clinical aspects. The orthodontic characteristics associated with the occurrence and severity of caries were maxillary irregularity ≥3 mm (P  =  .021) and abnormal molar relationship (P  =  .021).Conclusions:Handicapping malocclusion, maxillary irregularity, and abnormal molar relationship were associated with the occurrence and severity of dental caries. The findings suggest that the prevention and treatment of these conditions can contribute to a reduction in dental caries among adolescents.     

Desire for orthodontic treatment and associated factors among adolescents in southern Brazil

Objective:To estimate the prevalence of the desire for orthodontic treatment and investigate associated factors among adolescents in southern Brazil.Materials and Methods:A cross-sectional study was carried out with 704 adolescents aged 12 and 13 years at municipal public schools in the city of Balneário Camboriú (southern Brazil). The adolescents answered a previously tested questionnaire addressing satisfaction with their dental appearance, speech function, chewing function, and the desire for orthodontic treatment. The parents/guardians answered a questionnaire addressing satisfaction with their child''s dental appearance and socioeconomic variables. A trained and calibrated orthodontist collected clinical data on malocclusion using the Dental Aesthetic Index (DAI). Statistical analysis was performed using multivariate Poisson regression with robust variance.Results:The prevalence of the desire for orthodontic treatment was 69.6% (490/704). In the adjusted analysis, the outcome was significantly more prevalent among girls (P < .001), those with difficulty chewing (P  =  .026), those dissatisfied with their dental appearance (P < .001), and those with greater malocclusion severity (P < .001). The following orthodontic characteristics were associated with the desire for orthodontic treatment in the multivariate model: diastema in anterior segment (P < .001), anterior maxillary irregularity (P < .001), maxillary overjet ≥6 mm (P < .001), and mandibular overjet (P  =  .047).Conclusions:The desire for orthodontic treatment among 12- and 13-year-old adolescents is influenced by gender, dissatisfaction with one''s dental appearance, difficulty chewing, malocclusion severity, and orthodontic characteristics. These findings should be considered together with normative indications regarding the need for orthodontic treatment in adolescents.     

Malocclusion and orthodontic treatment need evaluated among subjects with Down syndrome using the Dental Aesthetic Index (DAI)

Objective:To determine the prevalence of malocclusion and need for orthodontic treatment among persons with Down Syndrome (DS).Materials and Methods:Study participants were 113 persons with DS from the selected community-based rehabilitation center who fulfilled the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Ten occlusal characteristics of the Dental Aesthetic Index (DAI) were measured on study models to determine the degree of malocclusion. A single score represented the dentofacial anomalies, determined the level of severity, and determined the need for orthodontic treatment.Results:Crowding in the anterior maxillary and mandibular arch was the main malocclusion problems among the subjects with DS. Comparison between age group and genders revealed no significant differences in four categories of orthodontic treatment need (P > .05).Conclusion:Most of the subjects with DS (94; 83.2%) had severe and very severe malocclusion, which indicated a desirable and mandatory need for orthodontic treatment.     

Malocclusions and orthodontic treatment needs in a group of Spanish adolescents using the Dental Aesthetic Index

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the prevalence of malocclusion and orthodontic treatment need among Spanish adolescents and compare with other populations. METHODS: The study sample comprised 744 schoolchildren from urban and rural populations in Granada province (Southern Spain), aged from 14-20 years, who had received no orthodontic treatment. The measurement instrument was the Dental Aesthetic Index (DAI). RESULTS: The mean DAI score of the whole series was 25.6 (SD, 7.94). The distribution of the four DAI grades was: DAI 1, no anomaly or malocclusion, 58.6%; DAI 2, definite malocclusion, 20.3%; DAI 3, severe malocclusion, 11.2%; DAI 4, very severe or disabling malocclusion, 9.9%. There were no statistically significant differences in DAI score between genders or those in rural vs. urban residence, but a significant difference was found between social classes, with subjects of low social class presenting the worst scores (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The distribution of DAI scores among Spanish adolescents is similar to that reported in other populations.     

Combined effect of anterior malocclusion and inadequate lip coverage on dental trauma in primary teeth

Abstract – Objectives: The main objective of this study was to investigate whether the interaction of malocclusion (open bite or increased overjet) combined with inadequate lip coverage strengthens its association with traumatic dental injury (TDI) in the primary teeth of preschool children compared to the presence of malocclusion alone. Subjects and methods: A cross‐sectional survey was conducted with 376 children aged 36–59 months who attended the National Day of Children’s Vaccination. Presence of TDI, tooth discoloration, and sinus tract were evaluated in the children. Variables associated with occlusion were also evaluated. A Poisson regression analysis was performed to verify the association between the explanatory variables and TDI as well as possible interactions among the variables. Then, the prevalence ratio was calculated. Results: The prevalence of TDI was 27.7%. The maxillary central incisor was the most affected tooth, without differences between the right and left sides. Boys had more dental trauma than girls (P = 0.04). The most common TDI was crown fracture restricted to the enamel (58.4%). Children with a combination of anterior open bite or increased overjet and inadequate lip coverage presented a higher prevalence of TDI than when the malocclusions were presented alone (P < 0.05). The same trends were observed when we included, in the final adjusted model, increased overjet instead of open bite. Conclusions: Anterior malocclusions of primary teeth such as increased overjet and anterior open bite are statistically significantly associated with dental trauma only when inadequate lip coverage is also present.     

Is the adolescent's esthetic concern associated with anterior occlusal conditions or the malocclusion severity level?

ObjectivesTo assess the esthetic impact of anterior occlusal conditions and malocclusion severity levels.Materials and MethodsA population-based cross-sectional study of 700 adolescents aged 15 to 19 years was conducted. The Oral Aesthetic Subjective Impact Scale (OASIS) was used to evaluate the subjective esthetic impact of malocclusion. The Dental Aesthetic Index (DAI) criteria were used to diagnose the anterior occlusal characteristics in isolation and the severity levels of malocclusion. The variables with P < .20 in the individual analyses were tested in multiple logistic regression models, and those with P < .10 remained in the model. The adjusted odds ratio (OR) was estimated with a 95% confidence interval (CI).ResultsOf the adolescents, 42% showed negative self-perception of malocclusion. In addition, 15.4% of adolescents had severe malocclusion (DAI 3) and 18.9% very severe malocclusion (DAI 4). Crowding and spacing were shown to be 2.90 (CI: 2.06–4.09) and 2.53 (CI: 1.65–3.86) times, respectively, more likely to cause a negative esthetic impact in adolescents (P < .05). In addition, adolescents with orthodontic treatment need (DAI 2, 3, and 4) were more likely to report a negative esthetic impact (P < .05).ConclusionsAnterior crowding and spacing are the conditions that most influence the esthetic concern of adolescents. Adolescents with very severe malocclusion and higher orthodontic treatment need are more likely to report a negative esthetic impact.     

Malocclusion and TMJ disorders in teenagers from private and public schools in Mexico City

Objective: To identify, among Mexican teenagers from public and private schools, the frequency, severity of malocclusion and orthodontic treatment needs, and their possible association with temporomandibular joint disorders. Material and Methods: Fifteen-year-old students were recruited from public and private schools. Clinical findings were registered as follows: oral hygiene status with the Oral Hygiene Index-Simplified, malocclusion using the Dental Aesthetic Index (DAI), and TMJ disorders following WHO criteria. Negative binomial and logistic regression models were constructed for data analysis. Results: A total of 249 fifteen-year old students were included in the study (118 female 47.4%). 68% had a DAI score ≤ 25 (minor or no occlusal anomalies), 18% scored 26-30 (mild anomalies), 7% scored 31-35 (evident anomalies), and 6% scored ≥ 36 (major malocclusion). The most frequent anomalies were dental crowding in 50%, maxillary dental irregularity in 44.6%, mandible irregularity in 41.2% and excessive maxillary overjet in 37.8%. Among the students, 26.1% had clicking/muscle or TMJ pain, of these 12.3% showed pain during palpation. OHI-S > 1 was found in 34% of the participants. The negative binomial model showed an association between DAI score and TMJ disorders (P=0.041). Also the logistic regression model showed an association between malocclusion (DAI>25) and TMJ disorders (OR=2.58, p=0.002). Malocclusion was associated also with poor oral hygiene (OR=1.65, p=0.007), and with attendance to public schools (OR=1.97, p=0.039). Conclusions: TMJ disorders and DAI scores were significantly associated. Screening/Diagnostic programs for ortho-dontic and TMJ-disorders are needed, to identify and offer treatment to teenagers with major malocclusion and TMJ/muscle pain. Key words:Dental Aesthetic Index, DAI, crowding, Temporo Mandibular Joint disorders (TMJ disorders), Temporo Mandibular Disorders (TMD), occlusal anomalies, OHI-S.     

Condition-specific sociodental impacts attributed to different anterior occlusal traits in Brazilian adolescents

The aim of this study was to assess the association between different anterior occlusal traits and the presence of condition-specific sociodental impacts on the quality of life attributed to malocclusion. For that, 1,318 15-16-yr-old adolescents were randomly selected from children attending all secondary schools in Bauru, Brazil. Participants were first interviewed and then dentally examined. Condition-specific impacts (CSI) attributed to malocclusion were calculated using the Oral Impacts on Daily Performances (OIDP index). Nine anterior occlusal traits were evaluated: maxillary and mandibular overjet; openbite and overbite; centreline deviation; dental crowding and spacing; and maxillary and mandibular irregularity. Statistical associations were tested using binary logistic regression analysis. The prevalence of CSI attributed to malocclusions was 21.2%. Of the nine occlusal traits evaluated, maxillary and mandibular overjet, centreline deviation, dental spacing, openbite, and maxillary irregularity were, in that order, directly associated with the presence of CSI attributed to malocclusion. No interaction term was identified. This study, designed to overcome the limitations found in the existing literature, supports the idea that malocclusion can affect social interaction and psychosocial wellbeing. Different anterior occlusal traits affected the quality of life differently.     

Aesthetic impact of malocclusion in the daily living of Brazilian adolescents

Abstract

Objective: The aim of the present study was to determine the biopsychosocial impact of malocclusion on the daily living of Brazilian adolescents (14 to 18 years of age) through normative and subjective records and identify factors directly involved in the self-perception of malocclusions.

Design: Cross-sectional.

Setting: Public and private schools in the city of Belo Horizonte, Brazil.

Subjects and methods: The sample was made up of 403 adolescents, with no prior history of orthodontic treatment, who were selected randomly from a population of 182,291 students in the same age range. The oral impact of malocclusion was assessed using the Oral Impact on Daily Performance (OIDP), whereas clinical criteria were assessed using the Dental Aesthetic Index (DAI). Self-perception of dental aesthetics was assessed using the Oral Aesthetic Subjective Impact Scale (OASIS) and self-esteem was assessed using the Global Negative Self-Evaluation (GSE) scale. Other variables were assessed using questionnaires. The chi-square test, simple and multiple logistic regression analyses were used for the statistical analysis.

Results: Ninety five adolescents (24%) reported feeling embarrassed to smile (aesthetic impact). A logistic regression suggested that the following variables were directly involved in the self-perception of malocclusion: upper anterior crowding ?2 mm (P=0.009), median diastema ?2 mm (P=0.040), normative treatment need (highly desirable) (P<0.001) and low economic level (P<0.001).

Conclusion: Negative repercussions on daily living were found in Brazilian adolescents with malocclusions affecting anterior dental aesthetics.     

Malocclusion and orthodontic treatment need of handicapped individuals in South Canara,India

AIMS: To estimate the prevalence and the severity of malocclusion and treatment need for 329 handicapped individuals. SUBJECTS AND SETTING: 329 handicapped individuals aged 11-30 years, attending eight different nonresidential special schools of South Canara, India. METHOD: Examination and recording using the Dental Aesthetic Index (DAI). RESULTS: 53% had a dental appearance which required no orthodontic treatment, 24% had a definite malocclusion, where treatment was 'elective' and treatment for a further 12% was considered to be 'highly desirable'. The remaining subjects (11%) had a handicapping malocclusion where treatment was considered mandatory. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of definite and severe malocclusions was higher in the mentally subnormal individuals when compared to other handicapping conditions. Orthodontic services for the handicapped have generally been neglected.     

Psychosocial implications of malocclusion among 12-18 year old secondary school children in Ibadan, Nigeria.

The main purpose of this study was to analyze the current psychosocial implications of malocclusion in Ibadan, Nigeria. The study sample comprised 614 secondary school children (327 males and 287 females) aged 12-18 years (mean age, 14.9 +/- 2.9 SD) who filled in a questionnaire containing general questions about body image and specific inquires concerning self-perception and social implications of dental appearance. The children's occlusions were also assessed using the Dental Aesthetic Index (DAI) and the malocclusion traits related to body image, self-perception, and social implications of dental appearance. Subjects with malocclusion rated only the teeth significantly least satisfactory among other twelve items of body image. The lowest rating was observed in subjects with crowding of the maxillary and mandibular incisor segments. Highly significant differences (P < 0.001) were found between subjects with normal or minor malocclusion and those with marked malocclusion in indicating awareness of malocclusion, dissatisfaction with the appearance of the teeth, and unfavourable appearance of the teeth compared with those of peers. Schoolmates' teasing occurred significantly more often in the presence of malocclusion (P < 0.001). Unfavourable perceptions of the teeth were expressed significantly more often by subjects with anterior maxillary irregularities of up to 1 mm and more, spacing of both maxillary and mandibular incisor segments, midline diastema, crowding (especially of the mandibular incisor segment), anterior open bite and molar relation deviations. It was concluded that certain malocclusions, especially occlusal and space anomalies, may adversely affect body image and self-concept of Nigerian adolescents.     

Malocclusion and oral health-related quality of life in Brazilian school children: A population-based study

Objective:To test the hypothesis that malocclusion and its impact on quality of life has no effect on 8- to 10-year-old Brazilian schoolchildren as measured by an oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) instrument.Materials and Methods:A cross-sectional study was carried out with a population-based sample of 1204 8- to 10-year-old children attending elementary schools in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Dental examinations were carried out by two calibrated examiners. OHRQoL was assessed using the Brazilian version of the Child Perceptions Questionnaire. The Dental Aesthetic Index was used for the clinical assessment of malocclusion. Dental caries and socioeconomic factors were used as controlling variables. Bivariate analysis involved the chi-square test and the Fisher exact test. A Poisson regression model was employed for the multivariate analysis (P < .05).Results:Anterior segment spacing and anterior mandibular overjet were significantly associated with impact on OHRQoL (P < .05). Schoolchildren with malocclusion were 1.30-fold (95% CI: 1.15–1.46; P < 0.001) more likely to experience a negative impact on OHRQoL than those without malocclusion. Children belonging to families with an income less than or equal to two times the minimum wage were 1.59-fold (95% CI: 1.35–1.88; P < 0.001) more likely to experience a negative impact on OHRQoL than those belonging to families with the highest income.Conclusions:Schoolchildren with malocclusion from lower-income families experience a greater negative impact on OHRQoL.     

Prevalence of malocclusions in the early mixed dentition and orthodontic treatment need

Early interceptive treatment for the elimination of factors inhibiting dental arch development and mandibular and maxillary growth is applied varyingly by orthodontists, possibly because there is little scientific evidence that such interventions are of actual benefit. The aim of this study was to determine specific factors for treatment need in the early mixed dentition period in order to obtain basic data to support early intervention. The study was part of a larger survey of 8768 children aged between 6 and 17 years. From this sample, 1975 children aged between 6 and 8 years were used to estimate the prevalence of malocclusions using the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (IOTN) during the early mixed dentition period. The results showed that deep overbite and overjet, both more than 3.5 mm, were the most frequent discrepancies, affecting 46.2 and 37.5 per cent of patients, respectively. An anterior open bite was registered in 17.7 per cent, crossbite in 8.2 per cent, and a reverse overjet in 3.2 per cent. A tooth width to arch length discrepancy was recorded in 12 per cent of teeth in the upper arch and in 14.3 per cent in the lower arch. The proportion of children estimated using the Dental Health Component of the IOTN to have a great or very great treatment need (grades 4 and 5) was 26.2 per cent. The higher values of treatment need during the mixed dentition period may account for temporary changes in the dentition and for the discrepancy in overjet and overbite. These discrepancies will be compensated in part during mandibular growth and development of the dental arch. Nevertheless, the findings indicate the early development of progressive malocclusion symptoms which are evidenced in the IOTN and concur with the acronym 'MOCDO' hierarchy (missing, overjet, crossbite, displacement, overbite). This early formation of progressive symptoms inhibiting or disturbing mandibular or maxillary growth or the development of the normal dental arch, i.e. crossbite, reverse overjet and increased overjet with myofunctional disorders, should be treated at an early stage.     

DAI scores and its relation to self-perceived dental aesthetic and orthodontic concern in Bangladesh and Japan

PurposeTo investigate the relationship between the severity of occlusal irregularities and orthodontic treatment concern among the population of a developing country using DAI score and to compare with the relationship found in a developed country.Materials and methodsThe sample comprised 400 randomly selected university students of Bangladesh, a developing country, 210 males and 190 females, aged 20–27 years. A pretested questionnaire was used to assess the subjects’ satisfaction with own dental appearance and orthodontic treatment concern; the actual severity of malocclusion was determined using the Dental Aesthetic Index (DAI). Statistical analysis was carried out using t-test for gender differences; Spearman rank-order correlation coefficients, Scheffe's post hoc test, one way ANOVA and logistic regression analysis were done for correlation between malocclusion severity and response to questionnaire. The data from a similar study that was carried out on the university students of Japan, a developed country, was compared.ResultIn Bangladeshi sample, males were more affected by malocclusion. Moderate correlation was found between malocclusion, self-satisfaction and treatment concern where satisfaction was decreased and treatment desire was increased with the severity of malocclusion. In Japanese sample, the prevalence of malocclusion was found more in females. Self-satisfaction and malocclusion showed weak correlation and no significant correlation was found between treatment concern and malocclusion.ConclusionAlthough DAI can be used universally to evaluate malocclusion and self-perception, it should be used carefully to determine the subjects’ actual desire for orthodontic treatment where the socio-economic condition can be a provocative factor.     

Descriptive epidemiology of dental malocclusion in Najran patients seeking orthodontic treatment

BackgroundUntreated malocclusion can lead to compromised aesthetic function, depression, and low self-esteem. The aim of this study was to evaluate dental malocclusion in Najran, Saudi Arabia as no data existed before.MethodThis was a retrospective study analyzing the casts of all patients in Najran, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, seeking orthodontic management for malocclusion between 2017 and 2019.MeasurementsThe consultant orthodontist is the single investigator involved in collecting the details of demographics followed by molar relationships, overjet, overbite, crowding and spacing using digital caliper on each dental cast. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics for IOS Version 25 (Armonk, NY: IBM Corp.ResultsA total of 326 patients sought treatment for different types of malocclusion. There were 143 males and 183 females with an M:F ratio of 1:1.3. Age ranged from 6 to 55 years with a mean SD of 22.6 ± 8.98. The prevalence for Class I, II and III malocclusions at 95% CI was (0.76 (0.757, 0.774)), 0.251 (0.243, 0.260) and 0.529 (0.519, 0.539) respectively. Fifty-one (15.6%) patients had reversed overjet, 65 (19.9%) reduced overjet, and 86 (26.4%) increased overjet. One hundred and sixty-four (50.3%) cases of reduced overbite and 99 (30.4%) cases of deep overbite were also observed. Tooth size arch length discrepancy were noticed with crowding and spacing in 83 (26.4%) and 71 (21.8%) patients, respectively.ConclusionsThis study has shown the prevalence of Class I, Class II, and Class III malocclusion to be 72.7%, 11.6% and 15.6% respectively. Increased over jet and crowding was demonstrated in more patients, though it is not statistically significant.     

Digital images as an alternative to orthodontic casts in assessing malocclusion and orthodontic treatment need

Objective. To investigate the potential use of two-dimensional digital images as an alternative to orthodontic casts in the assessment of malocclusion and orthodoantic treatment need. Material and Methods. Assessment of malocclusion (Angle's classification of molars, overjet, and overbite) and orthodontic treatment need (Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (IOTN): Dental Health Component (DHC) and Aesthetic Component (AC)) was conducted on 313 study casts and their images by two trained and calibrated examiners. Agreement of orthodontic treatment need and Angle's molar classification was assessed employing Kappa statistics (κ). Agreement of overjet and overbite (measured in mm) was assessed in comparison and correlation analyses. Inter- and intra-examiner reliability of assessment was investigated. Results. There was substantial agreement of the molar relationship classifications (κ >0.70), orthodontic treatment need as assessed by IOTN-DHC (κ =0.79) and IOTN-AC (κ =0.56) between measurements obtained from orthodontic casts and their images. There was also substantial agreement of measurements of overjet and overbite as obtained from orthodontic casts and their images. The standardized directional differences of overjet and overbite were ≤0.2. The intra-class correlation coefficients of assessments of overjet and overbite obtained from orthodontic casts and their images were >0.90. Inter- and intra-examiner reliability for the assessment of malocclusion and orthodontic treatment need was acceptable. Conclusion. Two-dimensional digital images can be used as an alternative to casts in assessment of malocclusion and orthodontic treatment need.     

Comparison of the Generic and Condition-Specific Forms of the Oral Impacts on Daily Performances (OIDP) Index

Objective: This study aimed to compare generic and condition-specific forms of the Oral Impacts on Daily Performances (OIDP) in terms of their ability to discriminate between adolescents with and without normative need for orthodontic treatment. Methods: A total of 1,060 15- to 16-year-old adolescents without history of previous or current orthodontic treatment were randomly selected from all secondary schools in Bauru, Brazil. Adolescents were clinically examined by using the Dental Aesthetic Index (DAI). Normative need for orthodontic treatment was defined by using three different suggested cutoff values on DAI score; 28, 31, and 36 points. Two different estimates (overall score and prevalence of oral impacts) were calculated by using the generic and the condition-specific OIDP (CS-OIDP) attributed to malocclusion. Discriminative ability was assessed, comparing both estimates between groups. Effect size and adjusted odds ratios were used to interpret the magnitude and meaning of differences. Results: The overall score and prevalence of oral impacts on quality of life in the last 6 months were significantly lower for the CS-OIDP attributed to malocclusion than for the generic OIDP ( P   <  0.001 in both cases). However, effect sizes and adjusted odds ratios were always larger for the CS-OIDP attributed to malocclusion than for the generic OIDP. Conclusions: Although generic and condition-specific OIDP forms were able to discriminate adolescents with normative need for orthodontic treatment from those without such a need, CS-OIDP attributed to malocclusion had better ability to distinguish between groups. Further studies are needed to compare discriminative ability of both OIDP forms between groups with different levels of other oral conditions .