SPECIAL ORTHODONTIC NEEDS OF SPECIAL CHILDREN A Complex Inter-Play

AIM & INTRODUCTION To provide an insight into the prevalence and severity of different malocclusions in special children and adolescents and assessment of treatment needs using IOTN index. According to the UNESCO report 2008. (U.N.D.P. Report 2008) India stands at 102 nd position in the "Education for all developmental index" out of 129 countries 132 nd place in the list of 172 nations on human development index (HDI) Handicap Disability Impairment Disease

MATERIALS AND METHODS The study was performed over the period of 12 months from different centers of ASHA schools for special children in five different cities of the India viz. Lucknow, Jammu, Pune , Delhi and Pathankot. S .N Disability Age group Total 1 Mentally retarded ( 40 % mild,55% moderate and 5% severe) 05-20 68 (m-28.f-40) 2 Locomotor disability 05-15 22(m-10 f-12) 3 Speech disability 16(m-9 f-7) 4 Vision disability 09 (m-5 f-4) 5 Hearing disability 20 (m-12 f-08) 6 Syndromic cases 36(m-16 f-20) 171(m-79f-91)

RESULTS AND STATS. SN MENTAL RETARD (in %) LOCOMOTOR DISABILITY SPECCH DISABILITY VISION DISABILITY HEARING DISABILITY SYNDROMIC CASES CLASS I 60 m-45 f-55 72 m-50 f-50 70 m-65 f-35 50 m-55 f-45 66 20 CLASS II 25 m-55f -45 10 m-40 f-60 30 18 40 CLASS III 15-m 70 f -30 - 16 ALTERED ERUPTION 62 m-60 f 40 5 12 CLEFT 2 14 IMPACTION 34 m-65,f -35 AVERAGE IOTN 4 m60 f 40 3 m-35 f-65 m-60 f-40 statistically significant difference was observed between male and female patients with respect to presence of Class I, II & III malocclusion among mentally retarded and speech disabled group. Chi square values (p>0.05) distribution of Altered Eruption, Impaction, and Cleft among six groups of disabilities do not show a significant difference between male and female patients.