Equity and Orthodontic Treatment: a Study Among Adolescents in Northern Ireland

This epidemiological study investigated the reasons why children in Northern Ireland who need orthodontic treatment do not receive treatment even when it is provided free by the state. A total of 1584 15- and 16-year-olds were examined in 23 high schools with the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need. The characteristics of the adolescents who had received orthodontic treatment were compared with those who had a definite need for treatment and yet did not receive treatment or advice. One in 10 of the adolescents examined had an unmet need for orthodontic treatment. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess the influence of 11 variables including socioeconomic status, religion, and standard of dental health on the uptake of orthodontic care. This analysis revealed that the only significant predictors of whether an adolescent received orthodontic treatment was the dental attendance pattern of the adolescent, the adolescent's dental health, and the dental attendance pattern of the adolescent's mother. Those adolescents who had good dental health, who regularly attended a dentist, and whose mother regularly attended a dentist were more likely to receive orthodontic treatment.