Prevalence and awareness of malocclusion in Swedish men

Previous orthodontic treatment, the awareness of malocclusion, the demand for orthodontic treatment and the prevalence of malocclusion were studied in 389 Swedish men, aged 21-54 years (mean age 32 years). Nine percent had been treated with an orthodontic appliance and 15% reported that permanent teeth had been extracted on orthodontic indications. Malposition of teeth was found in 75%, with rotation as the most common type of malposition. Crowding was recorded in 43% and spacing in 18%. Fifty-seven percent had some occlusal anomaly. The need for orthodontic treatment was rated on a four-point scale. It was found that 76% were in need of treatment. The need for treatment was only slight in half of the men but moderate to urgent in 25% of the sample. About a quarter of the men were aware of malposition of front teeth, equally often for maxillary and mandibular teeth, but only about 1% were aware of malposition of posterior teeth. Only a few percent thought they were in need of orthodontic treatment. The presence of malocclusion was correlated to age, place of birth and educational level. This might perhaps be a consequence of tooth loss.