Orthodontic-Treatment-Need of Patients From Private and University Clinics in Mexico-City

Objectives: Compare orthodontic treatment need of 11-18 year old patients that request orthodontic treatment at private dental-clinics (PDC) or public university-clinics (UC) in the eastern Mexico City metropolitan area.
Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study on the study-casts of 11-18 year old patients (n= 99 from a public UC, 83 from 4 PDC) that requested orthodontic treatment at two types of clinics was performed. Cases were excluded if there had been previous orthodontic treatment or if the casts were damaged. Two standardized students registered the parameters needed to grade the Dental-Health-Component of the Index of Orthodontic Need(IOTN Brook&Shaw) and an experienced orthodontist classified patients accordingly. They were also reclassified into need/no need (Burden IOTN modification). Esthetic need was classified with the original IOTN esthetic component (SCAN) and a modified SCAN (Sharidan et al). Chi² tests were performed for comparisons.
Results: There were no differences among groups in age (mean 13.5 years) or sex. Treatment need was greater in patients from the UC; 68% vs 50% in PDC (chi²(1)=6.252, p=.012) in great need and 72% vs 52% of PDC (chi² (1)=7.647, p=.016) in need of treatment according to Burden modification. Statistical differences were also found in the esthetic component with the original SCAN (33% of no/minimum need at UC vs 56%) (chi² (1)=7.171, p=.007) and the modified SCAN, more moderate need at PDC 25% vs 8% (chi² (1)=9.995 p=.002) and more severe need at UC 86% vs 61% (chi²(1)= 15.468, p=.000).
Conclusions: Orthodontic treatment need is greater among patients that request treatment at a public UC than at PDC in the eastern part of the Mexico City metropolitan area. This might be related to economic issues.