The socio-demographic and malocclusion characteristics of adolescents presenting for specialist orthodontic treatment in New Zealand practices.

Background: There are few reports of the socio-demographic and malocclusion characteristics of those undergoing clinical orthodontic treatment in private specialist practice.

Aim: To describe the pretreatment characteristics of individuals presenting for orthodontic treatment.

Methods: Individuals (N = 174) presenting for orthodontic treatment in 19 private specialist orthodontic practices in New Zealand were randomly selected and examined (at the beginning of a three-year prospective study) and their malocclusions compared using the Dental Aesthetic Index (DAI).

Results: The mean DAI score was 35.8 (SD 8.4). There were no statistically significant socio-demographic differences in DAI score other than by household-based socio-economic status (SES), whereby mean scores were considerably higher in those of low SES. The majority of patients attending for treatment had severe or very severe/handicapping malocclusions. Females had less severe malocclusions than males, on average, although the difference was not statistically significant.

Conclusions: The malocclusion severity threshold for seeking orthodontic treatment appears to be higher in those of lower SES. The study findings highlight the need to improve access to orthodontic treatment for this group.