Outcome of a scheme for specialist orthodontic care.

With the purpose of examining the outcome of specialist orthodontic care on a population level (Halland, Sweden), a random sample of previously treated 19-year-olds (n=118) was clinically examined and interviewed. Thirty-three per cent of the cohort (n=1554) had received treatment, and mean treatment time was 19 months requiring 20 visits. Changes in occlusion were assessed using the PAR Index applied to dental study casts representing the pre- and post-treatment and follow-up (19 years) condition. The subjects' responses to questions addressing their past and present attitudes to dental appearance and orthodontic treatment were combined to represent "orthodontic concern", at the pre-treatment stage and at 19 years of age. A mean reduction in weighted PAR scores of 83% was observed from pre-treatment to post-treatment, whereas at follow-up, the net improvement was 69%. A significant shift in attitudes was observed, as 72% of the individuals expressed orthodontic concern pre-treatment compared to less than 10% at 19 years. The improvement obtained was similar to other studies on outcome of orthodontic treatment provided by specialist orthodontists. Compared to most PAR-studies providing information about orthodontic services, the present scheme appeared to be efficient on the assumption that duration of treatment and number of visits are expressions of costs.

Attitudes to malocclusion among 18- and 35-year-old Norwegians.

Knowledge about age-related changes in attitudes to dental appearance and orthodontic treatment may guide the orthodontist in educating and providing advice to potential patients and their parents. The purpose of the present study was to compare attitudes to malocclusion in groups of young and middle-aged adults from populations having been exposed to similar provision of care. The material comprised samples of orthodontically untreated 18-yr-olds (n = 50) and 35-yr-olds (n = 73) from Oslo, Norway. From a clinical examination, radiographs, and measurements on dental study casts, the subjects were classified according to the Need for Orthodontic Treatment Index (NOTI) used by the Norwegian Health Insurance System. Satisfaction with dental appearance and desire for orthodontic treatment were investigated using questionnaires. The 35-yr-olds exhibited significantly more malocclusion compared to the 18-yr-olds (P < 0.01). Among subjects classified to have obvious need for orthodontic treatment, 54% and 21% expressed dissatisfaction at ages 18 yr and 35 yr, respectively, indicating a lower level of concern for malocclusion in the older age group.

Caries experience of 35-year-old Oslo residents and changes over a 20-year period.

The dental health of 35-year-old Oslo citizens was investigated in cross-sectional studies applying similar methods in 1973, 1984 and 1993. In the 1993 investigation, a clinical and radiographic examination of dental caries was performed on 121 randomly selected individuals (response rate 68 per cent). DMFT/S scores were used for recording caries experience. Carious surfaces (DS) were related to independent variables organised under the four main categories of health field concept; environment, behaviour, biology and health care. Mean DMFS based on 28 teeth was 40.9 in 1993, compared to 66.5 in 1984 and 68.2 in 1973. DS, MS, FS and DMF values were significantly lower in 1993 compared with those from the previous 1973 and 1984 studies, while only minor differences were detected from 1973 to 1984. High numbers of decayed surfaces (DS) were significantly associated with poor oral hygiene, unsatisfactory economic status and irregular dental visiting habits. The most influential independent variables explained 35 per cent of the variance in carious surfaces (DS).

Need and desire for orthodontic (re-)treatment in 35-year-old Norwegians.

Long-term outcome of orthodontic care systems may be studied by examining malocclusion and treatment need in groups of treated and untreated adults. The objective of the present work was to investigate the professionally defined need as well as the need perceived by the individuals in an attempt to study the outcome of orthodontic services. The material comprised data from 111 individuals collected from a random sample of 35-year-olds from Oslo, Norway. From a clinical examination and measurements on dental study casts, the subjects were classified into either of 4 levels of need according to the Need for Orthodontic Treatment Index (NOTI) used by the Norwegian Health Insurance System. Perceived need for treatment was analyzed from responses to questions about satisfaction with dental appearance and desire for orthodontic treatment presented in a questionnaire. Satisfaction with dental appearance was recorded in 85% and 92% of untreated and previously treated, respectively. Desire for treatment was expressed by 19% of the untreated and 3% of the treated individuals. Occlusal anomalies were present among both the treated and untreated subjects, and the clinical significance of the malocclusion traits observed is discussed.

Proposed protocol for determination of photostability Part I: cosmetic UV filters.

Synopsis The protocol described here has been developed to measure the stability of UV-B filters; a modified version is recommended for UV-A filters. It should be considered as a tool to predict the effectiveness remaining after exposure to UV-A and UV-B light. It is a simple and reliable in vitro model simulating conditions of actual use. The results show that each filter requires an appropriate choice and fine tuning of reproducible analytical conditions. While absolute values are directly influenced by uncertainties in irradiance (dosimetry), comparative measurements with respect to a known standard are very reliable.

Changes in endodontic status 1973-1993 among 35-year-olds in Oslo, Norway.

Epidemiological investigations from Scandinavia have documented high prevalence of apical periodontitis and inferior quality and results of endodontic treatment performed in general practice. The present investigation is part of a 20-year follow-up study on oral health in 35-year-old Oslo citizens focusing on endodontic conditions. The results indicate reduced prevalence of apical periodontitis and statistically significant improvement in endodontic status compared with results from a similar study performed in 1984.