Need for orthodontic treatment among children in Foča

Introduction. Orthodontic treatment is a common dental procedure in developed countries. Assessment of orthodontic treatment need is important for health services planning and population trends monitoring. The aim of this study was to assess the need for orthodontic treatment among children in Foca, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Methods. The study involved 81 students of two primary schools in the municipality of Foca, aged 11-13 years. The subjects underwent clinical examinations, the dental impressions were taken, study models were made and analyzed, and digital photographs of anterior dentition were taken too. Index of Complexity, Outcome and Need (ICON) was used to assess the need for orthodontic treatment. The number of orthodontists, which would be sufficient to meet the needs of this population of children, was estimated. Results. ICON index results showed that 56.8% of children needed orthodontic treatment. There was no statistical significance in the need for orthodontic treatment between the subjects of different gender and age. The study showed that 22.2% of boys and 34.6% of girls needed orthodontic treatment. In relation to age, 21% of eleven- and 21% of twelve-year-olds needed orthodontic treatment and 14.8% of thirteen-year-olds. The incidence of crowding was 80.2%. Crossbite was present in 23.5% of examined students, open bite in 2.5%, deep bite in 29.6% and irregular dental esthetics anterior teeth in 28.4%. Class II/1 malocclusion was found in 39.5% of children, II/2 class in 9.9%, class I in 38.3%, while class III malocclusion was found in 9.9% of examined children. Conclusion. The study shows that a large percentage of children in Foca need orthodontic treatment. Percentage of the need for orthodontic treatment is higher in comparison to most of the countries in Europe and the world. The development of prevention programs and early caries therapy can greatly reduce the need for orthodontic treatment.