<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><sec><h3>Background</h3><p>There are few reports of the socio-demographic and malocclusion characteristics of those undergoing clinical orthodontic treatment in private specialist practice.</p></sec><sec><h3>Aim</h3><p>To describe the pretreatment characteristics of individuals presenting for orthodontic treatment.</p></sec><sec><h3>Methods</h3><p>Individuals (N = 174) presenting for orthodontic treatment in 19 private specialist orthodontic practices in New Zealand were randomly selected and examined (at the beginning of a three-year prospective study) and their malocclusions compared using the Dental Aesthetic Index (DAI).</p></sec><sec><h3>Results</h3><p>The mean DAI score was 35.8 (SD 8.4). There were no statistically significant socio-demographic differences in DAI score other than by household-based socio-economic status (SES), whereby mean scores were considerably higher in those of low SES. The majority of patients attending for treatment had severe or very severe/handicapping malocclusions. Females had less severe malocclusions than males, on average, although the difference was not statistically significant.</p></sec><sec><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>The malocclusion severity threshold for seeking orthodontic treatment appears to be higher in those of lower SES. The study findings highlight the need to improve access to orthodontic treatment for this group.</p></sec></abstract>

BackgroundThere are few reports of the socio-demographic and malocclusion characteristics of those undergoing clinical orthodontic treatment in private specialist practice.AimTo describe the pretreatment characteristics of individuals presenting for orthodontic treatment.MethodsIndividuals (N = 174) presenting for orthodontic treatment in 19 private specialist orthodontic practices in New Zealand were randomly selected and examined (at the beginning of a three-year prospective study) and their malocclusions compared using the Dental Aesthetic Index (DAI).ResultsThe mean DAI score was 35.8 (SD 8.4). There were no statistically significant socio-demographic differences in DAI score other than by household-based socio-economic status (SES), whereby mean scores were considerably higher in those of low SES. The majority of patients attending for treatment had severe or very severe/handicapping malocclusions. Females had less severe malocclusions than males, on average, although the difference was not statistically significant.ConclusionsThe malocclusion severity threshold for seeking orthodontic treatment appears to be higher in those of lower SES. The study findings highlight the need to improve access to orthodontic treatment for this group.

The socio-demographic and malocclusion characteristics of adolescents presenting for specialist orthodontic treatment in New Zealand practices

Australasian Orthodontic Journal

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

BackgroundThere are few reports of the socio-demographic and malocclusion characteristics of those undergoing clinical orthodontic treatment in private...

The socio-demographic and malocclusion characteristics of adolescents presenting for specialist orthodontic treatment in New Zealand practices

Published Online: Aug 15, 2021

Page range: 20 - 25

Received: Sep 01, 2014

Accepted: Apr 01, 2015

DOI: https://doi.org/10.21307/aoj-2020-136

© 2015 David L. Healey et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.