Aim: To determine the self-perception and need for orthodontic treatment in young sensory [visual (VI) and hearing (HI)] impaired children attending special schools in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Also, to determine if gender and social class background influence the rating and self-perception of malocclusion among the children.
Location: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Design: A prospective study on orthodontic treatment need in sensory impaired children.
Subjects: Seventy-seven VI, 210 HI, and 494 control (C) children aged 11-16 years.
Method: The aesthetic component (AC) of the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (IOTN) was determined using the standard 10 pictures for the C group and HI with a modified version (tactile graphic) for VI. The dental health component (DHC) and AC of IOTN were used to allocate each child to no need, borderline need and definite need for treatment subgroups.
Results: Sixty-five per cent of VI, 21.8 per cent HI, and 18.7 per cent of the C were perceived to be in need of orthodontic treatment. However, 55.8 VI, 43 per cent HI and 34 per cent C were rated for treatment need based upon the AC. The difference between the examiner and the child's rating of treatment need was found to be statistically significant among the HI and control children (P < 0.001).
Conclusion: The VI children who were scored for treatment by the examiner as having need for treatment had similar perceptions of their treatment need irrespective of their social background. Male VI children had a higher DHC score, but both VI and HI males had a higher normative and self-perceived need based on AC.