The need for orthodontic treatment among 10–11- and 14–15-year-old Lithuanian schoolchildren

Diana Baubinienė, Antanas Šidlauskas, Irena Misevičienė¹

Department of Orthodontics, ¹Institute for Biomedical Research, Kaunas University of Medicine, Lithuania

Key words: Index of Complexity, Outcome, and Need; treatment need; malocclusion.

Summary. The aim of this study was to evaluate the need for orthodontic treatment among 10–11- and 14–15-year-old schoolchildren in Lithuania.

Material and methods. A total of 4235 children randomly selected from different socioeconomic backgrounds were examined. The schoolchildren were divided into two age groups: first group, 10–11-year olds (1142 boys, 1180 girls) and second group, 14–15-year olds (936 boys, 977 girls). The normative orthodontic treatment need was assessed using the Index of Complexity, Outcome, and Need.

Results. The need for orthodontic treatment ranged from 37.4 to 48.9% in 10 counties of Lithuania. The study demonstrated that the need of orthodontic treatment significantly depended on age and to some extent on gender of the schoolchildren examined. This study has shown reduction in the need for orthodontic treatment from 49.9% in the late mixed dentition stage to 33.9% in the permanent dentition stage.

Conclusions. The need for orthodontic treatment is high in Lithuania: almost half of 10–11-year-old and every third of 14–15-year-old schoolchildren need orthodontic treatment.

Correspondence to A. Šidlauskas, Department of Orthodontics, Kaunas University of Medicine, J. Lukšos-Daumanto 6, 50106 Kaunas, Lithuania. E-mail: antanas@kaunas.omnitel.net

Received 27 June 2008, accepted 5 October 2009