Orthodontic treatment need and prevalence of malocclusions in the Orthodontic Unit of "Sapienza - University of Rome" : a six - year clinical experience

AIM The objective of this epidemiological survey was to investigate the dental-skeletal features of subjects attending the Public Dental Service in U.O.C. (Orthodontic Department of “La Sapienza University of Rome) and compare them with the existing body of evidence coming from other surveys. Accordingly, the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (I.O.T.N.) was employed, in order to achieve a common framework to allow the shaping of public health prevention practices. MATERIALS & METHODS A sample of 3491 subjects in the Orthodontic Department of “La Sapienza- University of Rome” (UOC) was evaluated with the adoption of I.O.T.N. to define malocclusion severity. RESULTS In the result analysis, it was observed that class II malocclusion was more frequent in the sample (40%), and a large part of the examined population also presented mandibular dental crowding (43%), increased overjet (41%), increased overbite (38%). Only 26,44% (20,17% IOTN 4; 6,27% IOTN 5) had strong need for orthodontic treatment. CONCLUSION The realization of epidemiologic investigations to establish priority for treatment need is therefore particularly useful, not only to estimate the prevalence of some clinical conditions in the observed population, but also to plan targeted interventions, such as interceptive and corrective therapies in growing children. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE These interventions could solve specific clinical situations and/or prevent their escalation. Only in this way it’s possible to avoid fragmenting the limited resources available, using them for patients with an objective need.