OCCLUSAL TRAITS AND ORTHODONTIC TREATMENT NEED AMONG SCHOOLCHILDREN IN MISURATA, LIBYA

Abstract

The aim of this study is to determine the orthodontic treatment need of Libyan schoolchildren using the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (IOTN) and the amount of contribution of the various occlusal traits in rating of the children in IOTN scale. This data provides solid information for planning of orthodontic care and give hard base about the most occlusal traits in producing malocclusion in Libyan schoolchildren. In this cross-sectional study of School-going children aged 14-15 years, their parents consented to an intra-oral examination. A total of seventeen schools in Misurata were selected and a total of 1,050 children were entered into the study. Five children (0.5%) had previously received orthodontic treatment and these children were excluded from the study. The gender of the sample population was remarkably even and comprised 522 males (49.7%) and 528 females (50.3%). The mean age of male students was 15.3 years old, while that of female students 15.5 years old. However, the age range was slightly larger with the youngest students 13 and 17 years old. The study found that 27 percent of children were in Dental Health Component grade 5 and 4 and therefore in definite need for orthodontic treatment. Less than 24 percent of children (grade 3) were in borderline need and 49% (grade 2and 1) had little or no need for treatment. The contribution of the main occlusal features responsible for definite need respectively as follow; severe contact displacement (4d) 34.3 per cent, overjet greater than 6 mm but less than or equal 9 mm (4a) 17.3 per cent, crossbite with displacement greater than 2 mm (4c) 14.1 per cent, impeded eruption (5i) 14.1 per cent, less extensive hypodontia (4h) 7.1 per cent, overjet greater than 9 mm (5a) 6 per cent, partially erupted, tipped and impacted against adjacent teeth (4t) 4.6 per cent, submerged deciduous teeth (5s) 1.1 per cent, reverse overjet greater than 3.5 mm with reported masticatory and speech difficulties (5m) 0.7 per cent and 0.4 percent for both extreme lateral or anterior open bite greater than 4 mm (4e) and presence of supernumerary teeth (4x).