Orthodontic Treatment Need of Handicapped Individuals in Lagos, Nigeria

Objectives: To determine the orthodontic treatment needs of handicapped individuals in Lagos, Nigeria. Methods: The study sample consisted of 345 handicapped individuals (mentally subnormal, hearing impaired, physically handicapped) aged 12 – 45 years drawn from five special centers/schools in Lagos. These subjects were assessed using the Dental Aesthetic Index (DAI). Results: 59% had a dental appearance which required no orthodontic treatment; 16% had a definite malocclusion, where treatment was ‘elective'; 11% had severe malocclusion with treatment ‘highly desirable'; 14% had severe or handicapping malocclusion with treatment considered mandatory. There was a statistically significant association between severity of malocclusion and type of handicap (p<0.001). Furthermore, there was a statistically significant difference in mean DAI scores between the handicapping conditions, with the mentally handicapped presenting the highest mean DAI score (p<0.001). Conclusion: There were considerable orthodontic treatment needs among the study population. Definite and severe malocclusions were significantly higher in the mentally subnormal individuals when compared to other handicapping conditions. There is a need for government and non-governmental organizations to focus attention on orthodontic care of the handicapped population in Nigeria.