Autopercepción de necesidad de tratamiento ortodóntico según el grado de instrucción en adultos de la parroquia Sucre 2025

Abstract

Introduction: Self-perceived need for orthodontic treatment influences decision-making related to oral health, especially in the adult population, which may be conditioned by cultural, educational, and social factors. Objective: To identify the relationship between self-perception of the need for orthodontic treatment and educational level in adults aged 18 to 64 in the parish of Sucre, Cuenca, Ecuador, in 2025. Methodology: A descriptive, relational, and cross-sectional study was conducted using a survey administered to a sample of 433 adults residing in the parish of Sucre. The need for orthodontic treatment was determined using the Aesthetic Component of the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (IOTN), based on the Proffit instrument. The level of education was classified into five levels. The chi-square test was used for the association analysis at the 95% confidence level. Results: Using ranges of 1-4 for “No need” and 5-10 for “Need,” 88.2% of participants did not self-perceive the need for orthodontic treatment. University-level higher education was the most common level of education (51%). No statistically significant association was found between educational level and self-perceived need for orthodontic treatment (p =0.295). Conclusions: The self-perception need for orthodontic treatment in adults was low and was not associated with educational level, highlighting the need to strengthen oral health promotion strategies and oral health literacy aimed at the adult population.