A new method of measuring how much anterior tooth alignment means to adolescents

The aim of this study was to develop an instrument to measure an individual's value of the appearance of their anterior teeth. Structured interviews were carried out using the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (IOTN) as a basis for time trade-off and visual analogue utility measurement. The subjects of the study were forty-five 11-14-year-old children at new patient consultation with an orthodontist (seekers) and forty-five 11-14-year-old children in school (non-seekers) It was possible to derive utility values using the techniques adopted. The seekers and non-seekers of treatment had significantly different utility values for anterior tooth appearance (P < 0.05, Mann-Whitney). This study suggests that it is possible to develop utilities that reflect how patients value the appearance of anterior teeth. These utilities had a predictive validity in that there were significant differences in seekers' and non-seekers' utility values. The seekers placed a higher value than non-seekers on the desirability of a good aesthetic appearance.