title: Malocclusion and orthodontic treatment need of patients attending the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos, Nigeria.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the orthodontic treatment needs of patients attending a Nigerian Teaching Hospital using the Dental Aesthetic Index.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and fifty study models of patients who attended the Orthodontic clinic of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital were assessed using the DAI. The data was collected using an evaluation form. Descriptive statistics, Chi-square values and t-tests were used to analyze the data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean DAI score was 31.5 ± 9.7. Overall, 32% of the subjects had no need or slight need for orthodontic treatment. In 23.3% the need for treatment was elective. Severe malocclusion with treatment highly desirable was found in 16.7% and 28% had handicapping malocclusion with treatment considered mandatory. There were no significant gender differences with regard to the DAI treatment categories (p > 0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in mean DAI scores between age groups, gender and social class (p > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study showed that close to one-third of the subjects had dental appearance that did not require treatment. A significant proportion (28%) of the subjects had very severe (handicapping) malocclusion and could qualify for publicly subsidized orthodontic treatment.
authors.forename: I l
authors.initials: Il
authors.lastname: Utomi
authors.forename: C o
authors.initials: Co
authors.lastname: Onyeaso
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D003970:Diastema / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D061326:Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008310:Malocclusion / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology*; D020380:Needs Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D024343:Open Bite / Q000453:epidemiology; D057887:Overbite / Q000453:epidemiology; D012737:Sex Factors; D012923:Social Class; D016388:Tooth Loss / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult