Orthodontic dental patients and expenditures—2004

Introduction: In this article, we describe recent trends in the age of patients receiving orthodontic services and look at how expenditures for these services are related to patient age and income level. Methods: These findings are based on 3 national health expenditure surveys sponsored by the Agency for Healthcare Policy and Research conducted in 1987, 1996, and 2004. Results: Recent increases in the number of patients receiving orthodontic services were largely due to an increase in the overall population. There has been a shift in the age distribution of patients receiving such services. Children 8 to 18 made up a greater percentage of all patients receiving orthodontic services, but there were fewer adult patients aged 19 years and older. Conclusions: Children 8 to 18 years old made up a larger percentage of patients who received orthodontic services in 2004 compared with 1996 and 1987. The percentage of total dental expenditures of children 8 to 18 for orthodontic services might increase in the future because of less need for restorative services among this segment of the population.