Need for interceptive intervention for malocclusion in handicapped children in Lagos, Nigeria.

Orthodontic care for handicapped children in Nigeria has generally been neglected. There is a need for baseline data for effective planning of orthodontic services for this population group. The purpose of this study was to determine the need for interceptive orthodontic intervention in handicapped children in Lagos, Nigeria. The sample consisted of 106 handicapped children, 60 boys and 46 girls who were 7-10 years old, selected from 5 special schools in Lagos. Overall, forty-nine (46.2%) of the children had a need for interceptive orthodontic treatment. Orthodontic intervention was needed in 20.7% of the children due to crossbite of the anterior and lateral segments. Extraction was indicated in 4.7% of the children with retained primary teeth and in 1.9% of children with erupted supernumerary teeth. Orthodontic treatment or education was needed in 16.1% of the children due to oral habits. Three(2.8%) of the children presented with proclination of the maxillary anterior teeth with moderate spacing. In 10.4% of the children, there was a need for further inspection in order to follow-up the development of the occlusion. This study has revealed a significant need for interceptive orthodontic treatment among handicapped children in Lagos, Nigeria. Appropriate policy action and strategies to improve oral health education and provide publicly funded programmes will be required.