ORTHODONTIC TREATMENT NEEDS OF CHILDREN: COMPARISON OF THREE INDEX

Purpose: An orthodontic treatment need index is a form of occlusal index devised initially to prioritize the need for treatment and to categorize the malocclusion and identify patients based upon treatment need. The aim of this study was to evaluate orthodontic treatment needs of children using IOTN (Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need), DAI (the Dental Aesthetic Index) and ICON (Index of Complexity, Outcome and Need) and the relationship among the three index. Material and Methods: After ethical approval and informed consent were obtained; 100 children aged 10-12 years were examined for malocclusion, overjet, overbite, open bite and crossbite. The study models of subjects were taken and the DAI, the Dental Health Component (DHC) and the Aesthetic Component (AC) of IOTN and ICON were compared. Statistical analysis was performed by using NCSS 2007 software and regression analysis was performed between the results. Results: The mean average scores of DAI, IOTN-DHC, IOTN-AC and ICON indices were 25.44±8.05, 2.46±0.98, 4.17±2.53 and 38.67±21.08, respectively. Statistically significant differences were found between DAI, IOTN-DHC, IOTN-AC and ICON scores (p 0.01). Conclusion: DAI, IOTN and ICON were found to be significantly correlated with each other regarding the prevalence of malocclusion and orthodontic treatment need.