Malocclusions and orthodontic treatment needs in a group of Spanish adolescents using the Dental Aesthetic Index

Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of malocclusion and orthodontic treatment need among Spanish adolescents and compare with other populations. Methods: The study sample comprised 744 schoolchildren from urban and rural populations in Granada province (Southern Spain), aged from 14–20 years, who had received no orthodontic treatment. The measurement instrument was the Dental Aesthetic Index (DAI). Results: The mean DAI score of the whole series was 25.6 (SD, 7.94). The distribution of the four DAI grades was: DAI 1, no anomaly or malocclusion, 58.6%; DAI 2, definite malocclusion, 20.3%; DAI 3, severe malocclusion, 11.2%; DAI 4, very severe or disabling malocclusion, 9.9%. There were no statistically significant differences in DAI score between genders or those in rural vs. urban residence, but a significant difference was found between social classes, with subjects of low social class presenting the worst scores (p