title: Early orthodontic treatment: a new index to assess the risk of malocclusion in primary dentition.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A new index targeted on the risk of malocclusions in primary dentition, called Baby-ROMA (Risk Of Malocclusion Assessment) index, was set up to assess risks/benefits in early orthodontic therapies. The Baby-ROMA index was designed from the observation that some of the malocclusion signs, observed in primary dentition, can worsen with growth, others remain the same over time and others can even improve. Therefore it would be important to classify the malocclusions observed at an early stage on a risk- based scale.
  
  
  METHODS
  The reliability of the index was tested on 200 children, referred by their paediatricians to two different Orthodontic Departments, aged 4-6 years and in full primary dentition. The children were evaluated by two operators, both trained and calibrated on the use of the Baby-ROMA index.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The K test showed a high reproducibility of the index. It is shown that 50% of patients presented malocclusion and crossbite had the highest prevalence, followed by tooth decay and early loss of deciduous teeth and negative overjet.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Baby-ROMA index was helpful to assess the severity of malocclusion and the timing for orthodontic treatment in very young patients (primary teeth).
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate School of Orthodontics, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Grippaudo
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate School of Orthodontics, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: E G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Paolantonio
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate School of Orthodontics, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pantanali
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate School of Orthodontics, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Antonini
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate School of Orthodontics, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Deli
mesh_terms: D000848:Anodontia / Q000175:diagnosis; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000175:diagnosis; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D061326:Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need / Q000379:methods*; D008310:Malocclusion / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008312:Malocclusion, Angle Class II / Q000175:diagnosis; D008313:Malocclusion, Angle Class III / Q000175:diagnosis; D008446:Maxillofacial Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis; D009058:Mouth Breathing / Q000175:diagnosis; D020380:Needs Assessment; D024343:Open Bite / Q000175:diagnosis; D057887:Overbite / Q000175:diagnosis; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014080:Tooth Exfoliation / Q000175:diagnosis; D014094:Tooth, Deciduous / Q000473:pathology*; D014096:Tooth, Supernumerary / Q000175:diagnosis