Impact of Dental Aesthetic Index characteristics on the severity levels of malocclusion in a non-White population

Daniela Alcântara Fernandes Silva; Diego Patrik Alves Carneiro; Mariana Nabarrette; Mário Vedovello Filho; Milton Santamaria Jr; Silvia A S Vedovello

doi:10.1016/j.ajodo.2022.08.011

Impact of Dental Aesthetic Index characteristics on the severity levels of malocclusion in a non-White population

Am J Orthod Dentofacial Orthop. 2022 Nov;162(5):e252-e256. doi: 10.1016/j.ajodo.2022.08.011. Epub 2022 Sep 11.

Authors

Daniela Alcântara Fernandes Silva¹, Diego Patrik Alves Carneiro², Mariana Nabarrette², Mário Vedovello Filho³, Milton Santamaria Jr³, Silvia A S Vedovello⁴

Affiliations

¹ Araras Dental School, University Center of Hermínio Ometto Foundation, Araras, São Paulo, Brazil.
² Department of Community Dentistry, Piracicaba Dental School, University of Campinas, Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil.
³ Department of Orthodontics, Araras Dental School, University Center of Hermínio Ometto Foundation, Araras, São Paulo, Brazil.
⁴ Department of Community Dentistry, Piracicaba Dental School, University of Campinas, Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil; Department of Orthodontics, Araras Dental School, University Center of Hermínio Ometto Foundation, Araras, São Paulo, Brazil. Electronic address: silviavedovello@gmail.com.

PMID: 36100479
DOI: 10.1016/j.ajodo.2022.08.011

Abstract

Introduction: This study evaluated the impact of the esthetic and occlusal characteristics of the Dental Aesthetic Index (DAI) on the need for orthodontic treatment in a non-White population.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 1296 non-White adolescents aged 12 years. DAI was the outcome variable (DAI 1 and 2 and DAI 3 and 4). The independent variables were categorized on the basis of the occlusal esthetic characteristics evaluated by DAI (tooth absence, crowding, spacing, midline diastema, maxillary misalignment, mandibular misalignment, maxillary anterior overjet, mandibular overjet, anterior open bite, and anteroposterior molar relationship). Simple logistic regression models were adjusted for the outcome, and the raw odds ratios were estimated. Variables with a P value of <0.20 for individual analyses were tested in a multiple logistic regression model, with P ≤0.05 remaining.

Results: A total of 1296 adolescents (764 girls and 532 boys) were evaluated; 1067 (82.3%) had DAI 1 or 2 (minor to a moderate need for orthodontic treatment), and 229 (17.7%) had DAI 3 or 4 (defined need for orthodontic treatment). The results showed that adolescents with diastema, maxillary irregularity, mandibular irregularity, mandibular overjet, anterior open bite, and the altered molar relationship had 5.34, 2.36, 2.63, 3.56, 8.73, and 5.16 times more likelihood to have DAI 3 or 4 (P ≤0.05), respectively.

Conclusions: Diastema, maxillary and mandibular misalignment, mandibular overjet, anterior open bite, and anteroposterior molar relationship were the characteristics that influenced the determination of the need for orthodontic treatment in a non-White population using the DAI index.