Using OI and DAI Index to Compare the Need and Demand of Orthodontic Treatment

 The objective of this research was to compare the orthodontic treatment need and demand using Dental Aesthetic Index (DAI) and Occlusal Index (OI) among dentistry students of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences.

 This descriptive cross-sectional study was performed on 113 dental students in Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. The demand for orthodontic treatment was assessed using a standardized questionnaire and 10 photographs of aesthetic component (AC) of IOTN for the self-assessment of subjects about their dental attractiveness. Occlusal Index (OI) and Dental Aesthetic Index (DAI), which were calculated by clinical examination and dental model analysis, were used to assess the orthodontic treatment need. Students with a history of orthodontic treatment were excluded.

 Final analysis was done on 113 cases (48 men and 65 women). The study showed that there was a significant relationship between the demand for orthodontic treatment and the self-assessment of subjects about their dental attractiveness (according to the photograph they had chosen) (P = 0.015). There is also a significant relationship between the self-assessment of subjects about their dental attractiveness (according to the photographs) and the orthodontic treatment need based on DAI (P = 0.008). Furthermore, a significant connection was found between the self-assessment of subjects about their dental attractiveness (according to the photographs) and the orthodontic treatment need based on OI (P < 0.001).

 The results of our study revealed that both indices show that the need for orthodontic treatment is in line with the demand, which could be used for planning public orthodontic and dental services.