Need for orthodontic treatment among Tanzanian children.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the need for orthodontic treatment among Tanzanian Bantu children.


METHODS
Prospective study using dental casts.


METHODS
Sixteen randomly selected schools from the Ilala district, Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania.


METHODS
Six hundred and forty three Tanzanian children from an urban district.


METHODS
Dental casts of 643 Tanzanian subjects in age groups 3-5, 6-8, 9-11 and 15-16 years, were assessed using the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (IOTN).


METHODS
Need for orthodontic treatment.


RESULTS
Aesthetic treatment need (AC grades 8-10) and dental health component (DHC grades 4-5) occurred in 5-15% and 16-36% of the studied children, respectively. The need measured by DHC increased significantly between the two oldest age groups. An absolute need measured by combining AC grades 8-10 and DHC grades 4-5 was found in 3-12% of the subjects and it increased significantly with age (p<0.03). The most prevalent severe occlusal feature placing the children in the great need category was cross bite. While about 3-19% of the children had distal occlusion (Angle's Class II), mesial molar occlusion (Angle's Class III) was rare, occurring in 1-3% of the children.


CONCLUSIONS
This study provides baseline data on the need for orthodontic treatment among Tanzanian children that may be useful for the public oral health service to determine priority for orthodontic treatment as part of comprehensive child oral health care in Tanzania.
Mugonzibwa
E A
EA
Department of Preventive and Community Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Muhimbili University College of Health Sciences, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Kuijpers-Jagtman
A M
AM
van 't Hof
M A
MA
Kikwilu
E N
EN
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004955:Esthetics, Dental; D005260:Female; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008310:Malocclusion / Q000628:therapy*; D009970:Orthodontics; D011897:Random Allocation; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013636:Tanzania