Orthodontic treatment-service studied retrospectively in a group of Danish children aged 15-16 years.

In a group of adolescent children in 9th grade attending a municipal dental health service, a certain amount of orthodontic treatment has been performed. 27% of the children had completed, or were undergoing, orthodontic appliance therapy. 9% of the children had completed extraction therapy only. 4% were recorded as discontinued appliance treatments and 3% as discontinued after extraction of permanent teeth as the only treatment. 21% had no anomalies and no treatment and 36% had a malocclusion but no treatment carried out. The effect of the orthodontic service was studied on the group as a whole according to the frequency and pattern of change in four selected malocclusion symptoms and to the degree of personal satisfaction about dental appearance and any orthodontic appliances. The individuals most satisfied with the results from their orthodontic treatment were found in the three middle socioeconomic groups.