title: Prevalence of occlusal traits and orthodontic treatment need in 14 year-old adolescents in Northeast Italy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Studies on prevalence of malocclusion support the planning and provision of public dental services. The aim of the study was to assess the prevalence of malocclusion and occlusal traits in adolescents aged 14 years from public secondary schools in the area of Health District n.15 - Veneto region, Italy.
  
  
  METHODS
  
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  Out of a randomly selected sample of 1187 subjects, 444 adolescents (55% males, 45% females) were evaluated in the school settings according to the criteria adopted by Brunelle et al. [1996]. Alginate impressions were then taken for 380 students together with a wax bite. The occlusal traits of the cast were analysed and IOTN was established.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The most common occlusal traits measured on casts were overjet >3 mm (48%), overbite >3 mm (39%), midline misalignment (32%), crowding (30%), 99% of the sample showed at least one occlusal trait. Class I molar relationship prevailed (75.5%) and the prevalence of molar asymmetries was 21.9%. The prevalence of anterior and posterior crossbite and open bite was significantly higher in females, while the mean values of overjet and overbite were higher in males. The distribution of IOTN in the study population showed that only 49.5% had no or little need of treatment, and more than one third (35.8%) were assigned a 4 or 5 score.
  
  
  METHODS
  Descriptive statistics are expressed as a percentage (± confidence interval) or mean ± standard deviation, according to the nature of the variable.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These outcomes indicate a high prevalence of the aforementioned occlusal traits and also a high need for orthodontic treatment among adolescents in Northeast Italy.
authors.affiliation: Dental Unit, Regional Centre for the Study, the Prevention and the Therapy of Dental Diseases, Cittadella Hospital Health District n. 15, Veneto Region, Cittadella (Padua) Italy.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ferro
authors.affiliation: Dental Unit, Regional Centre for the Study, the Prevention and the Therapy of Dental Diseases, Cittadella Hospital Health District n. 15, Veneto Region, Cittadella (Padua) Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Besostri
authors.affiliation: Epidemiology Unit, Prevention Department, Health District n. 15, Veneto Region, Camposampiero (Padua) Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Olivieri
authors.affiliation: Dental School, University of Padua, Padua, Italy.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Stellini
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003970:Diastema / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D061326:Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D007574:Jaw Relation Record / Q000295:instrumentation; D008297:Male; D008310:Malocclusion / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008311:Malocclusion, Angle Class I / Q000453:epidemiology; D003765:Models, Dental; D020380:Needs Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D024343:Open Bite / Q000453:epidemiology; D057887:Overbite / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012737:Sex Factors