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The development of a guide to borderline orthodontic need.

Published version
Peer-reviewed

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Authors

Jeremiah, Huw G 
Lai, Nicholas N 
Kirschen, Robert 

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To produce a guide for dentists and orthodontists to determine orthodontic treatment need in borderline cases (dental health component DHC 3) and to compare views of different panels of judges on treatment need. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Prospective, observational study. Photographs of one hundred subjects displaying borderline occlusal traits (DHC3) were collected. Three panels of judges consisting of 25 orthodontists, 25 dentists and 25 lay persons assessed photographs based on orthodontic treatment need on aesthetic grounds. RESULTS: Spearman's correlation coefficient showed no statistical difference between the panels of judges (p < 0.001). The judges identified a 'high need' for treatment on aesthetic grounds for those with anterior open bites and reverse overjets. Kappa analysis showed moderate intra-rater agreement for the orthodontic and dental panels of judges (k = 0.47 and 0.45, respectively) and fair agreement (k = 0.26) for the lay panel, highlighting the intrinsic difficulty of assessing borderline malocclusions. CONCLUSION: There was no statistical difference in the way the orthodontic, dental and lay panels of judges perceived treatment need for DHC 3 cases. Anterior open bites and reverse overjets were predominantly found to be in high need of treatment by all panels of judges. A 'Guide to Borderline Orthodontic Need' (GBON) is proposed consisting of 8 photographs of subjects with borderline occlusal traits (DHC3) determined unambiguously by lay, dental and orthodontic panels as either 'needing' or 'not needing' orthodontic treatment on aesthetic grounds. It is anticipated that this will assist users to make judgments on aesthetic grounds on the need for treatment in borderline cases.

Description

Keywords

Research, IOTN, Aesthetics, Index, Borderline, Malocclusion, Orthodontic treatment need

Journal Title

Prog Orthod

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

1723-7785
2196-1042

Volume Title

23

Publisher

Springer Science and Business Media LLC