Validity of Index of Orthodontic Treatment Complexity in Assessing Complexity of Treatment among the Malocclusion Groups

Abstract

BACKGROUND To provide efficient and well-planned orthodontic treatment orthodontists must be able to assess the type of malocclusion and the complexity involved in its treatment. Hence, the purpose of this study was to validate index of orthodontic treatment complexity (IOTC) as a reliable index to assess the treatment complexity in treating different malocclusion groups. METHODS A retrospective study with sample of 120 pairs of orthodontic study model consisting of treated and untreated cases, were collected and equally divided into class I, class II including both division 1 and division 2 and class III malocclusions based on Angles system of classification of malocclusion. Study casts were scored according to criteria given by the index of orthodontic treatment complexity and the degree of complexity is established for each of the malocclusion groups and the occlusal traits. RESULTS The Spearman correlation coefficients test shows that occlusal traits like overjet, centreline discrepancy, molar correction, overbite, crowding, posterior cross bite, alone significantly correlated with degree of complexity. Multiple regression analysis and one way ANOVA tests were performed for the three types of malocclusion and the test showed that in individual classes of malocclusion, the predictor variable (occlusal traits) significantly predicts the degree of complexity in class I and class II malocclusion cases, but not in class III. CONCLUSIONS Overjet, centreline discrepancy, molar correction, overbite, crowding, posterior cross bite correlated with degree of complexity. IOTC forecasts the degree of complexity in class I and class II malocclusion cases, but not in class III. KEY WORDS IOTC, Malocclusion, Occlusal Traits