Even though some instruments and methods exhibited good to excellent reliability and validity and can be recommended for research and clinical practice , they do not allow assessing all components of physical oral health .
OBJECTIVE This study aim ed at exploring available clinical instruments and methods for assessing physical oral health , and at identifying those with sufficient diagnostic performance .
The development of an index of orthodontic treatment priority.
The aim of this study was to develop a valid and reproducible index of orthodontic treatment priority . After review ing the available literature , it was felt that this could be best achieved by using two separate components to record firstly the dental health and functional indications for treatment , and secondly the aesthetic impairment caused by the malocclusion . A modification of the index used by the Swedish Dental Health Board was used to record the need for  orthodontic treatment on dental health and functional grounds . This index was modified by defining five grade s , with precise dividing lines between each grade . An illustrated 10-point scale was used to assess independently the aesthetic treatment need of the patients . This scale was constructed using dental photographs of 12-year-olds collected during a large multi-disciplinary survey . Six non-dental judges rated these photographs on a visual analogue scale , and at equal intervals along the judged range , representative photographs were chosen . To test the index in use , two sample population s were defined ; a group of patients referred for treatment , and a r and om sample of 11 - 12-year-old schoolchildren . Both sample s were examined using the index and satisfactory levels of intra- and inter-examiner agreement were obtained
Even though some instruments and methods exhibited good to excellent reliability and validity and can be recommended for research and clinical practice , they do not allow assessing all components of physical oral health .
OBJECTIVE This study aim ed at exploring available clinical instruments and methods for assessing physical oral health , and at identifying those with sufficient diagnostic performance .