Prevalence of Malocclusion and Orthodontic Treatment Needs in the Mixed Dentition Period of the Kashmiri Population Using the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Needs: A Hospital-Based Study.

Background Malocclusion has a huge impact on individuals as well as society in terms of discomfort, quality of life, and social and functional limitations. Estimating the need for orthodontic treatment in the population is crucial for planning orthodontic management and monitoring oral health programs. Therefore, the present study aimed to assess the prevalence of malocclusion and orthodontic treatment needs among children of the Kashmiri population. Material and methodology A total of 9,268 children aged between six and 12 years visiting the outpatient department (OPD) of the department were assessed to determine the prevalence of malocclusion using the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (IOTN). Statistical analysis The collected data were entered into a spreadsheet and analyzed using appropriate statistical software. Descriptive statistics were used to calculate frequencies and percentages, and the Chi-square test was used to assess the association between malocclusion traits and orthodontic treatment need. The statistically significant association between malocclusion traits and orthodontic treatment need was set at p < 0.001. Results Out of the study population, 1,848 children had different traits of malocclusion; the overall prevalence of malocclusion was 19.9%, and the most common malocclusion traits were increased overjet (33.5%) and crowding (29.2%). Conclusion The authors concluded that malocclusion is not a single entity but rather a collection of situations, each in itself constituting a problem, and can be complicated by a multitude of genetic and environmental causes. The need to implement preventive and interceptive orthodontic care, such as habit-breaking appliances, caries prevention, etc., is of utmost importance.