An Investigation Of Malocclusion Deformity And The Orthodontic Treatment Demand Of 1912 Children In Changzhou City

Objective The aim of this study is to examine the prevalence rate, proportion, clinical manifestation and pathogenic factors of different types of malocclusion in a mixed and permanent dentitions population of Changzhou, as well as patients and their parents' cognition degree of malocclusion and demand of orthodontic treatment. Our investigation was of great help to provide adequate scientific basis for the policies formulation by the government departments, to guide early dental education, to perform effective prevention, blocking and treatment, to reduce the prevalence rate of malocclusion deformity, and finally to save the manpower and material resources.Methods In order to mobilize the active participation of teachers and students, the content and purpose of this study were propagated, and the health knowledge lectures and posters were carried out before starting project. Then eight high qualification orthodontists participated in this survey were trained to uniform the standard scale of individual normal occlusion. These individuals were randomly divided into four groups, and each group contained two persons. The survey was performed by the way of one-for-one inquiry. Twenty copies of questionnaire were finished at first in a primary school during the pre-investigation. According to the problems and difficulties appeared in this process, questionnaires were modified, investigators were re-trained, and inquiry skills were improved before the formal investigation start. Then epidemiological questionnaires were distributed to five and six grade students in four different primary schools of Changzhou. The content of the questionnaire includes basic situation, medical history, pathogenic factors, cognitive degree of malocclusion deformity, clinical examination (occlusion situation), etc. According to the inclusion criteria, total 1912 students were selected for this study. The questionnaires were filled truthfully according to the subjects'respondents, and oral clinical examination was applied at the same time. Then questionnaires were recovered after ensuring the correctness of the data. At the end of the survey, entering data and establishing a database were carried out. Data entry shall be the responsibility of the personnel, entry was accomplished using Epi Data 3.0. Results were analyzed by SPSS 18.0 software package for x2 test and/test.Result ?The total prevalence rate of malocclusion was 54.86%. There was no statistically significant difference in prevalence rate of malocclusion between the men group and the women group, as well as the mixed dentition group between the permanent dentition group (P>0.05). However, the prevalence rate of urban students was significantly higher than those of urban-rural fringe (P<0.05). ?he constituent proportion of Angle's classification of malocclusion was as follows from high to low: class ?>class ?'>class?>class ?2. The proportion of Class I group was the largest (42.71%). There was no statistically significant difference in the constituent ratio between mixed dentition group and the permanent dentition group (P>0.05). ? Various types of malocclusion showed variety of clinical manifestations. The commonest was dental crowding (63.11%), second was overbite and overjet, and the rest were crossbite, rarefaction, openbite and lockbite etc. in turn ?Different types of malocclusion depended on distinct pathogenic factors. The most important was the genetic factor (31.36%), second was the oral bad habits, and the rest were tooth obstacles and food factors etc. ? 42.78% of subjects were undergoing the therapy or willing to do that, however 57.22% refused the orthodontic treatment (P<0.05). Interestingly, female subjects had more willingness to accept treatment than male. The number of students who wanted to receive orthodontic therapy from urban areas was significantly larger than those of urban-rural fringe (P<0.05).Conclusion There is a sharply high prevalence rate of malocclusion in child population of Changzhou. In addition, the willingness to accept treatment of children and their parents was very negative. Therefore, oral health education must be enhanced in the future, in order to enhance orthodontic treatment demand and decrease the prevalence rate of malocclusion and improve the oral health of children in Changzhou.