Biomedical subjects

L Espeland

Publications and source records attributed to L Espeland.

22 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed1997

A longitudinal study on subjective and objective orthodontic treatment need.

The purpose of the study was to analyse changes in professionally-defined need and self-perceived need between the ages of 12-20 years. In 1985, occlusion and perceived need for treatment were recorded in 306 12-year-olds (born 1973) living in five communes in Finnmark, the most northern part of Norway. In 1993-94, 271 of the individuals were traced through the Norwegian Central Person Register and invited in letters to attend a clinical examination and an interview. A total of 80 individuals responded, with a mean age of 20.7 years. Professionally-defined need was assessed according to the Need for Orthodontic Treatment Index (NOTI) which is used by the Norwegian Health Insurance System for reimbursement of treatment costs. Change in category of need between 12-20 years was used as a measurement of health gain. Perceived need was measured by the individuals' responses to a question about desire for treatment. Individuals who received treatment (n = 22) showed an improvement in occlusion (health gain) corresponding on average to one category of need. The occlusal status of the untreated individuals was unchanged. All the individuals that desired treatment at 12 years of age (n = 15) did not want treatment at 20, and they were satisfied with their dental arrangement. Most of these individuals had received treatment, but a few with minor malocclusions had at age 12 been informed about the small objective need and refrained from treatment. All the individuals that wanted treatment at 20 years of age, 29 per cent of the total sample, had not desired treatment at 12 years of age. The results underline the importance of information and education during orthodontic counselling of potential patients.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1997

Lay attitudes to dental appearance and need for orthodontic treatment.

In provision of advice about aesthetic treatment need, visual stimuli as a tool in communication may have some advantages compared with verbal descriptions, in particular when children are addressed. The Aesthetic Component (AC) of the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need is an illustrated scale for rating of dental attractiveness developed in the UK and based on lay adults' ratings of dental photographs. This scale has also been recommended for use in patient education. The purpose of the present study was to establish a sociocultural standard of reference for Norway related to the AC, in order to examine the applicability of the scale as a tool in patient information. Samples of 137 children, 126 of their parents and 98 young adults were shown the 10 photographs comprising the AC. The subjects were asked to assess the photographs for dental attractiveness and orthodontic treatment need on a four-category rating scale. The findings indicated that, in general, photographs with an increasing scale point were rated as increasingly more unattractive. The majority (80-100 per cent) of the parents and young adults rated the five photographs on the unattractive end of the scale to be in need of treatment. The children were significantly less critical in their aesthetic judgements. Photographs representing borderline need, identified for these groups to be scale points 5 and 6, have a potential in guiding patients and parents in making informed decisions about aesthetic treatment need.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1996

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.

Adult↗

PubMed1996

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.

Adolescent↗