Peer Assessment Rating (PAR) and Self-reported Improvement of Malocclusion among Patients Treated by Orthodontic Residents in Ibadan

Abstract

Background: Orthodontic treatment brings about an improvement in occlusal features, facial aesthetics, and function. The Peer Assessment Rating (PAR index) quantitatively measures the degree of improvement in the presenting malocclusion following orthodontic treatment as well success of treatment. The aim of this study was to evaluate treatment outcome of patients seen in the orthodontic clinic in U.C.H Ibadan and to compare this with patients' self-reported improvement.
Methods: Study models of the first ten cases treated to the expected standards of an accredited examination body for orthodontic training, by 5 senior registrars were selected. The study models were of patients treated using fixed appliance therapy. Fifty pre and post treatment study models were thus obtained and assessed using the PAR index. Furthermore, the same patients were recalled to assess their self-perceived improvement in their malocclusion using a Likert scale. The data obtained was analyzed using SPSS version 23.0. Variables such as age at start of treatment and treatment duration were also analyzed.
Results: Nineteen (38%) males and 31(62%) females participated in the study. Their ages ranged from 11-26 years with a mean age of 15.7±4.47. The mean pre-treatment PAR index was 17.96 ±8.11 and the post treatment PAR index was 4.20 ±4.43. The mean percentage reduction in PAR index is 74.87±25.46. Majority (58%) of the cases showed a PAR reduction of great improvement, while 52% of the patients reported great improvement as the self-perceived outcome of the treatment of their presenting malocclusion.
Conclusion: Patients who had orthodontic treatment as standardized by an accredited examination body for residency training in U.C.H Ibadan showed great improvement in their presenting malocclusion using PAR index, also the patients' self-perception of their treatment outcome was of great improvement.