THE ORTHODONTIC TREATMENT NEEDS IN PATIENTS REFERRED TO ORTHODONTIST.

The objective: The aim of this study was to examine and establish compliance in determining the need for orthodontic treatment by general dental practitioners or non-orthodontic specialties and orthodontists. Material and methods: The study included 100 patients referred to an orthodontist by general practitioners or nonorthodontic specialties. The research included a period of three months during which referrals of patients who applied to the Clinic for Orthodontics at the Faculty of Dentistry with clinics of the University of Sarajevo were reviewed and analyzed. After examination by an orthodontist specialist, compliance was aligned with regard to determining the need for orthodontic treatment by general dental practitioners or non-orthodontic specialties and orthodontists. Results: An analysis of the need for orthodontic treatment showed that an orthodontic treatment was required in 83 (83%) patients, while orthodontic treatment was not needed in 17 (17%) patients. Conclusion: The research showed that there is no statistically significant difference in determining the need for orthodontic treatment by general dental practitioners or non-orthodontic specialties and orthodontists. It is necessary to provide guidelines that would facilitate recognition of individual malocclusions, complexity of case, and timely referral of patients to orthodontist, and therefore to obtain correct referral letters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]