Indices in Orthodontics

Index has been defined as a numerical value describing the relative status of a population on a graded scale with defined upper and lower limits which is defined to facilitate and permit comparison with other populations classified under the same criteria and method. In the Orthodontic context an index is used to describe a rating system that assigns a numeric score to a person’s occlusion.Evidence based decision making has become a hallmark of 21st century healthcare and this trend has placed a premium on quantitative measures of treatment outcome. Finding valid measures of treatment success is important for both health care providers and health care consumers. Dental consumers are interested in value – obtaining the best quality service at the lowest cost