Main

Svedström-Oristo A-L, Pietilä I et al. Acta Odont Scand 2003; 61: 123–128

Orthodontic care is free up to age 18 in the Finnish health-care system. In the catchment area of one health centre, 121 of a total 159 16-year-olds were examined, and 57 had received orthodontic treatment. Active treatment was for a mean 2 yrs, and 80% had received non-extraction treatment. Principal techniques included cervical headgear and fixed appliances, with a quad helix in 1/4 of cases.

Occlusion was rated with the recently developed occlusal morphology and function index (OMFI). A morphologically unacceptable occlusion was present in 40% of untreated subjects, and 73% of treated patients, with postnormal canine relationship and excessive overbite as the main reasons. However, a functionally unacceptable occlusion was found respectively in 39% and 37% respectively, with lack of anterior guidance during protrusion as the commonest reason.