Malocclusion Pattern (Angle's) in Mauritian Orthodontic Patients

The aim of the study was to assess the pattern of malocclusion in different ethnic group of Mauritian population visiting the Orthodontic Department at Mauras College of Dentistry and Hospital, Republic of Mauritius. The study population comprised of 624 patients who visited the orthodontic department during 2010. The clinical examination was conducted by a well-calibrated orthodontist. The data were recorded in the case sheets and was analyzed for presence of angles class I, class II, and class III malocclusion in both male and female patients of Asian, African, Caucasian, and Chinese ethnicity aged 5–55 years. Malocclusion was found to be high in females compared to males. 414 patients (150 male？+？264 female) presented with class I, 182 patients (52 male？+？130 female) presented with class II, and 28 patients (12 male + 16 female) presented with class III. Asian ethnic group were more affected and patient seeking orthodontic treatment was high in 11–15 years age group. 1. Introduction Mauritius is a sparkling crystal in the turquoise waters of the Indian ocean. The island has maintained one of the developing world's most successful democracies and has enjoyed years of constitutional order and also the most developed of the Mascarene Islands; the contrast of colors, cultures, and tastes makes the island very charming. Mauras College of Dentistry and Hospital is the only fully functional college in the island providing good service in dental health care sector. There is hardly any study on pattern of malocclusion done on the Mauritian patients seeking orthodontic treatment. So this study aims at understanding the level of malocclusion present and evaluates the treatment need in different age group, sex, and ethnicity of Mauritian orthodontic patients. The epidemiological data on the prevalence of malocclusion is an important determinant in planning appropriate levels of orthodontic treatment [1]. A large number of epidemiological studies have been carried out to determine the prevalence of malocclusion in different racial and ethnic groups and the reported incidences varied in different populations [2–6]. The Angle’s classification method has been widely used as a qualitative epidemiological tool for malocclusion assessment [7]. 2. Materials and Methods The orthodontic records of 624 patients who attended the Department of Orthodontics at Mauras College of Dentistry were taken as the study population. Patients with a history of previous orthodontic treatment or with systemic disease, craniofacial deformities, or syndrome and patients with incomplete