Malocclusion and orthodontic treatment need of patients attending the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos, Nigeria.

Objective: To determine the orthodontic treatment needs of patients attending a Nigerian Teaching Hospital using the Dental Aesthetic Index.

Method: One hundred and fifty study models of patients who attended the Orthodontic clinic of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital were assessed using the DAI. The data was collected using an evaluation form. Descriptive statistics, Chi-square values and t-tests were used to analyze the data.

Results: The mean DAI score was 31.5 ± 9.7. Overall, 32% of the subjects had no need or slight need for orthodontic treatment. In 23.3% the need for treatment was elective. Severe malocclusion with treatment highly desirable was found in 16.7% and 28% had handicapping malocclusion with treatment considered mandatory. There were no significant gender differences with regard to the DAI treatment categories (p > 0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in mean DAI scores between age groups, gender and social class (p > 0.05).

Conclusions: This study showed that close to one-third of the subjects had dental appearance that did not require treatment. A significant proportion (28%) of the subjects had very severe (handicapping) malocclusion and could qualify for publicly subsidized orthodontic treatment.