[Malocclusion prevalence and orthodontic treatment need in 10-14-year-old schoolchildren in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais State, Brazil: a psychosocial focus].

The objectives of this cross-sectional study were to assess the prevalence of malocclusion and to verify the association between normative orthodontic treatment need and certain psychosocial aspects. The sample (n = 333) was representative of the population of adolescents (10-14 years) in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil. The dependent variable "normative orthodontic treatment need" was evaluated through the Dental Aesthetic Index (DAI) and the independent variables (gender, age, mother's schooling, economic status, parent's perception of the child's oral aesthetics, parent's perception of the child's orthodontic treatment need, and the adolescent's desire for orthodontic treatment) were evaluated through questionnaires. Descriptive, bivariate, and logistic regression (stepwise forward procedure, p <or= 0.05) analyses were performed. Malocclusion prevalence was 62.0% and normative orthodontic treatment need was 52.2%. The variables adolescent's orthodontic treatment desire and parents' perception of the child's oral aesthetics were significantly associated with normative orthodontic treatment need. These results suggest that psychosocial factors should be considered in making the decision to undergo orthodontic treatment.