Orthodontic treatment need for Brazilian schoolchildren: a study using the Dental Aesthetic Index

OBJECTIVE: To determine the normative orthodontic treatment need among 12-year-old Brazilian schoolchildren, in the municipality of Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil, and compare with the need as perceived by the children themselves and their parents or caregivers, assessing putative associated sociodemographic factors. METHODS: Four hundred and fifty one children without a previous history of orthodontic treatment were randomly selected from a population of 7,993 schoolchildren regularly attending the public and private educational sectors of the municipality of Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil. RESULTS: The prevalence of normative orthodontic treatment need in 12-year-old children, assessed with the Dental Aesthetic Index (DAI) was 65.6% (n = 155). The need perceived by the caregivers was 85.6%, and by the children was 83.8%. Only the perception by the caregivers maintained a significant correlation with the normative need of treatment when adjusted to the parents' schooling and economical level (p = 0.023). CONCLUSIONS: There is a high prevalence (65.6%) of malocclusion requiring orthodontic treatment in 12-year-old Brazilian schoolchildren. The most prevalent malocclusions in the study were: Crowding, Class II molar relationship and increased overjet. There was no significant correlation between the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need - Aesthetic Component (IOTN-AC) related to dental aesthetic perception and the normative treatment need assessed with the DAI. OBJETIVO: determinar a necessidade normativa de tratamento ortod ntico em escolares brasileiros de 12 anos de idade, no município de Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, e compará-la à necessidade percebida pelos responsáveis e crian as da amostra, avaliando potenciais fatores sociodemográficos associados. MéTODOS: quatrocentos e cinquenta e uma crian as, sem história de tratamento ortod ntico, foram selecionadas, aleatoriamente, de uma popula o de 7.993 escolares matriculados na rede de ensino pública e particular da cidade de Juiz de Fora. RESULTADOS: a prevalência da necessidade normativa de tratamento ortod ntico em crian as de 12 anos de idade, utilizando o índice de Estética Dentária (DAI), foi de 65,6% (n = 155). A percep o da necessidade pelos responsáveis foi de 85,6% e pelas crian as foi de 83,8%. No entanto, somente a percep o dos responsáveis teve uma correla o significativa com a necessidade normativa (p = 0,023). CONCLUS ES: existe uma alta prevalência (65,6%) de má oclus o com necessidade de tratamento ortod ntico em escolares brasileiros de 12 anos de idade. As más oclus es mais p