Outlining the morphological characteristics of acceptable occlusion

Abstract

– Objectives: The aim of this study was to outline the definitions of a morphologically acceptable occlusion in young adults that could be applied to assess the outcome and effectiveness of orthodontic treatment. The opinions of Finnish orthodontists and general practitioners were investigated for this purpose. Methods: A semi‐structured questionnaire was sent to all health centres where at least one orthodontist was employed (n=37), to health centres without any orthodontist (n=31), to private orthodontists working as consultants (n=12) and to orthodontists working at university dental clinics (n=13). The criteria for moderate and little orthodontic treatment need in the Need of Orthodontic Treatment Index (NOTI) and the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (IOTN) were chosen to describe the basic characteristics of occlusal acceptability. Results: The questionnaire was returned by 76 subjects (82%). The respondents’ views on an acceptable occlusion in young adults were not totally in line with the chosen definitions. Only 16% of the respondents accepted the definitions of both indices as such; the criteria in NOTI were accepted by 25% and those in IOTN by 21% of the respondents. Functional considerations of the occlusion were the main reasons for the desire for further details in the description of an acceptable occlusion. Crossbites with a discrepancy between retruded contact position and intercuspal position were the least accepted anomalies. The opinions were statistically significantly associated with the level of the respondents’ orthodontic education and their type of employment. Conclusions: We conclude that the selected definitions of NOTI and IOTN can serve as a basis for the characteristics of a morphologically acceptable occlusion in young Finnish adults, but measures of the functional aspects of occlusion must be added for studies on the outcome of orthodontic services.

Condições de saúde bucal de crianças na faixa etária pré-escolar, residentes em áreas de abrangência do Programa Saúde da Família em Salvador, Bahia, Brasil

“…Esta alteração bucal está fortemente relacionada com hábitos bucais adquiridos precocemente na infância, como os hábitos deletérios de sucção de chupeta e dedo. [25][26][27] São poucas as informações epidemiológicas sobre alterações periodontais e de maloclusões em crianças na faixa etária pré-escolar no Brasil, por isso houve dificuldade em se comparar os resultados do presente inquérito com outros estudos nacionais já realizados. Daí, a importância de divulgar os resultados desse estudo que se originam de inquérito realizado em usuários da rede pública de saúde, e que podem contribuir para o delineamento de políticas de saúde que reduzam as desigualdades em saúde no município.…”

Acceptability of Dental Appearance in a Group of Finnish 16- to 25-Year-Olds

“…7,9,10 In a series of investigations, clinical criteria that could be used in the assessment of occlusal acceptability were analysed. [11][12][13][14] Consequently, a new index, the Occlusal Morphology and Function Index (OMFI), was developed, based on the assessment of six morphological and four functional criteria. 15,16 The OMFI is intended to be used as a tool eg, in studies monitoring the outcome of orthodontic care at population level.…”

Selection of criteria for assessment of occlusal acceptability

“…Although the PAR and ICON comprise slightly dissimilar sets of criteria and use different weightings for the assessed characteristics, they share the common feature that both indices evaluate occlusion from a morphological point of view without considering functional aspects. This is at odds with the idea that function is an essential characteristic of occlusion, and with the recent suggestions that functional factors may affect occlusal morphology and should therefore be included when evaluating the acceptability of occlusion (8)(9)(10).…”

“…This standard, complemented by the functional and aesthetic criteria, will be used in evaluations of young adults at population level. Because of the different purposes, recorded occlusal traits and particularly their demarcation lines differ in many respects (9,32). It is also possible that the use of different reference positions, the CR for our criteria and the ICP for the DHC, had a conflicting effect on classifications.…”

“…The present occlusal characteristics and their cut-offs for an acceptable-non-acceptable dichotomy have been selected to meet the requirements of both the healthcare system and orthodontic professionals in Finland (9,10). Of these characteristics, overjet, transverse discrepancy and buccal segment sagittal occlusion have earlier been found to be important predictors of acceptability (32).…”