The professional perception of orthodontic treatment complexity.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the current professional concept of orthodontic treatment complexity.

DESIGN: Cross sectional survey of practitioners' views towards recently completed orthodontic treatments.

SETTING: Specialist and non-specialist practitioners in General Dental Services in North Western and Mersey regions. The sampling was carried out between 1993-95.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS: All practitioners undertaking orthodontic treatments in the GDS in the North Western and Mersey regions were invited to participate. Practitioners submitted consecutively started cases for scrutiny by analysis of study models and pre-treatment and post-treatment questionnaires. 280 cases were collected. Data were analysed using multiple linear regression.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The occlusal changes were assessed using the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need and the Peer Assessment Rating. Self administered questionnaires employed 5-point Likert type scales to record practitioners' and patients' opinions.

RESULTS: It appears that the concept of complexity is related to the occlusal changes which occur during orthodontic treatment. Attempts to define treatment complexity identifies factors which are of questionable validity and could be easily manipulated in practice setting.

CONCLUSIONS: The present concepts of treatment complexity appear to be somewhat flawed. There is no occlusal index of complexity which is particularly satisfactory but as a crude interim measure 3 grades of complexity are proposed based on the PAR index.