The dental aesthetic index and the professional criteria to determine the necessity of the orthodontic treatment

Abstract

The dental malocclusion used to be the final product of several events in the human being growing up and development leaving prints in the oral-facial deformity; it is an entity increasing its prevalence and incidence, becoming a health problem. The purpose of this work was determining the necessity of the orthodontic treatment applying the Dental Aesthetic Index, and comparing it with the criteria of the professional. The sample of the study was formed by 450 students aged 8-9 years from the heath area Milanés, Matanzas. We carried out a cross-sectional, descriptive study, determining the necessity of the orthodontic study altogether with the criteria of the professional, stating that 37,1 % of the patients who need treatment might be attended by the general integral stomatologist who may take preventive and interceptive measures, avoiding the malocclusions worsening. The biggest discrepancy found between the index and the criteria of the professional was in the category slight malocclusion where the specialist concluded that 48,6 % of the patients do not need treatment and the index established 32,9 %.