Applicability of IOTN Index for Quality Assessment of Orthodontic Treatment Difficulty

Abstract

Background Evaluating the need and assessing the severity of the problem help in concluding the actual need for orthodontic treatment. Many indices had been developed over the years for this purpose, and one of the most used indices is IOTN. This study was carried out for assessment of the grade of treatment difficulty utilizing the IOTN index for patients seeking orthodontic treatment at King Abdulaziz Dental Center, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Random casts and digital photos of residents’ patients were collected, and statistical analysis afterward was performed for concluding the research results. Methods Fifty random samples were collected from seven residents who are attending King Abdulaziz Dental Center. Casts and photos were utilized for the IOTN components. The IOTN score and the incidence of each variable were calculated statistically by SPSS and Python’s libraries (Pandas, NumPy, and Matplotlib). AC and DHC categories were compared to assess the correlation by using the Chi-Square and Spearman’s correlation tests. Results Among 50 participants, 24% do not need or have a slight need for the treatment, 42% expresses a moderate need for the treatment, and 34% actually need the treatment in regard to esthetic component. As for the dental component, 10% do not need or have a slight need for the treatment, 26% express a moderate need for the treatment, and 64% need the treatment. Spearman’s correlation test proved a correlation ( r = 0.861) between the two components. AC and DHC comparison showed significant differences ( p < .001). Conclusion IOTN index is a valid index for screening the patients’ need for orthodontic treatment. The application of IOTN index concluded that moderate to severe need for orthodontic treatment is required for patients attending King Abdulaziz Dental Center. Adapting such a simple way through applying this index by utilizing the casts, X-rays, and digital photographs can save time and effort. However, more trials are needed to evaluation of this technique’s accuracy.