ABSTRACT

The aim of this study is; 1. To evaluate the patients' malocclusion severity with orthodontic treatment need indices, whose treatments were started in an orthodontic clinic. 2. To compare the treatment costs in our country charged according to the Angle classification, in guidance of the indices. 3. Within the light of our findings, to determine the accuracy of patient selection criterias and find out whether the sources of the state are used efficiently. The study material includes 100 dental model and cephalometric films of patients whose treatment started in the year 2003. The information on the malocclusion types and the treatment costs were collected from the university archieves. The Dental Health Component (DHC) and the Aesthetic Component (AC) of the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (IOTN), and Norwegian Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (NOTI) were used to determine the orthodontic treatment need. All models were examined by two observers. The intra-examiner and inter-examiner reproducibility of the indices were examined by Kappa statistics which showed high intra- and inter-observer agreement. According to the DHC; % 13 of the cases showed great need of treatment, %53 need treatment, % 26 borderline need, % 8 little need. According to AC; %33 of the cases showed treatment need, % 33 borderline need, % 28 little need and % 6 no need. According to the Norwegian Orthodontic Treatment Need Index; only % 1 of the cases evaluated, showed very great need, % 22 great need, % 48 obvious need, % 29 showed no need. The results of our study revealed that with the present patient selection criteria the state spends two times more than when the treatment need indices are used.