Prevalence of malocclusion and orthodontic treatment need among 15 year old school children of rural Central India

Objective: To assess the prevalence of malocclusion and orthodontic treatment need among the rural school going 15‑years-old children Materials and Methods: A descriptive cross sectional study was carried out among 400 school going children in the central part of India. Occlusal features such as overjet, overbite, crossbite, crowding, and spacing were documented using a structured proforma and the need for orthodontic treatment was evaluated using the index of orthodontic treatment need dental health component. Results: It was found that the prevalence of malocclusion among the study participants was 70%, and the overall treatment need was 29.5%.Conclusion: This study offers baseline data on the need and demands for orthodontic treatment within the sample, which is critical for public orthodontic and dental service planning