The aim of the present study was to compare patient, parent and clinician perceived need for orthodontic treatment in relation to normative orthodontic treatment need as measured by the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (IOTN). A prospective cross-sectional study was designed to address this aim. The sample comprised 103 patients attending the 'new' patient clinic at the Jordan University Hospital. The patients' mean age was 15.3 years (standard deviation 3.8 years); 33 per cent were males and 67 per cent females. One clinician scored the patients' normative orthodontic treatment need using the IOTN, then determined perceived need using a 10 cm visual analogue scale (VAS). The subjects then assessed their own perceived need and aesthetic component (AC) score and the parents carried out similar assessments for their children. All scoring was carried out blind. The parents had the highest average perceived need scores, followed by patient and clinician scores (6.6, 6.1 and 5.4 cm, respectively). A significant difference was found between the parents and the clinician (P < 0.05). When the relationship between perceived need and clinician-measured normative orthodontic treatment need was investigated, significant differences were found with the dental health component (DHC) for all three groups (P < 0.05). Differences between AC and perceived need scores were also significant for the patients and parents, but not for the clinician (P > 0.05). The present study has shown that perceptions of orthodontic treatment need are multifactorial and influenced by elements other than health measures of normative orthodontic treatment need and perceptions of aesthetics.

We present a rare case of a developmental anomaly called regional odontodysplasia or 'ghost teeth' in an 8.5-year-old Jordanian girl. The anomaly affected both the mandibular primary and permanent incisors, and the canines bilaterally. The maxillary teeth were unaffected. This is the first case of the anomaly to be reported in Jordan. The clinical, radiographic and histological features are reviewed. The management of affected patients is discussed.

SNA and SNB were very close to the Eastman Standards. MMPA was significantly lower in Jordanians whilst UI/MX and LI/MN were significantly higher. Lower incisors were 4.6 mm further forward in relation to A-Pog in Jordanians.

The aim of this study was to produce a treatment difficulty index (TDI) for unerupted maxillary canines. Thirty treated cases, each with an unerupted unilateral maxillary canine, were graded by 14 consultant orthodontists in terms of perceived alignment difficulty, and the four main factors which had contributed to each grade were listed in order of importance. The relationship between the grade and the contributory factors was then examined using regression analysis, and weightings were derived. These were applied to each factor, in order to derive a difficulty score total for each case. Linear regression analysis of difficulty scores against consultant grades produced an R2 value of 54.7 per cent using the original equation and an R2 of 52.3 per cent using values rounded to the nearest half. Both indicated a moderate level of agreement between allocated difficulty grade and calculated difficulty scores. The index provides a useful treatment planning aid for the management of impacted maxillary canines.

The likelihood of birth defects in orofacial tissues is high due to the structural and developmental complexity of the face and the susceptibility to intrinsic and extrinsic perturbations. Skeletal malocclusion is caused by the distortion of the proper mandibular and/or maxillary growth during fetal development. Patients with skeletal malocclusion may suffer from dental deformities, bruxism, teeth crowding, trismus, mastication difficulties, breathing obstruction and digestion disturbance if the problem is left untreated. In this review, we focused on skeletal malocclusion that affects 27.9% of the US population with different severity levels. We summarized the prevalence of class I, II and III of malocclusion in different ethnic groups and discussed the most frequent medical disorders associated with skeletal malocclusion. Dental anomalies that lead to malocclusion such as tooth agenesis, crowding, missing teeth and abnormal tooth size are not addressed in this review. We propose a modified version of malocclusion classification for research purposes to exhibit a clear distinction between skeletal vs. dental malocclusion in comparison to Angle’s classification. In addition, we performed a cross-sectional analysis on orthodontic (malocclusion) data through the BigMouth Dental Data Repository to calculate potential association between malocclusion with other medical conditions. In conclusion, this review emphasizes the need to identify genetic and environmental factors that cause or contribute risk to skeletal malocclusion and the possible association with other medical conditions to improve assessment, prognosis and therapeutic approaches.