Prevalence of malocclusion and need for early orthodontic treatment in children.

Background: With the advent of functional appliances and orthopedic appliances the elimination and correction of skeletal and dental discrepancies has been much reduced. Most orthodontists agree that elimination of oral habits and orthopaedic treatment of class 3 malocclusion and posterior cross bites deserve treatment at an early age. Early treatment was proposed along the lines of "catch them in the young", and "you see it, you treat it" is the main ideology of Early Orthodonticc Treatment (EOT).