14 The definition that is most often quoted is the taxonomy proposed by Bradshaw15 that identifies four categories of need: Normative need, defined by the professional. Felt need, which is equated with want. Expressed need or demand; felt need is converted sellectchem into action by seeking care. Comparative need, which is assessed by comparing care received by different people with similar characteristics. The concept of need is central to the planning, provision and evaluation of health services. For effective planning and evaluation of any health service, both estimates of levels of need as well as demand for treatment should be taken into account.14 The aim of the present study was to determine the demands and needs for dental care and to identify the level of dental and periodontal status of patients from different age groups who visited Marmara University, Faculty of Dentistry, Istanbul, Turkey.
MATERIALS AND METHODS The study group consisted of 1000 patients, 16�C65 years old, who sought treatment for the first time at Faculty of Dentistry of Marmara University during a period of 12 months from 2004 to 2005. All patients were examined in the Department of Oral Diagnosis and Radiology. Personal data of the patients and their main complaint or main reason for visiting were recorded. An initial examination was conducted to determine the treatment necessary to address the main complaint. This was followed by an assessment of normative treatment needs of each patient. The WHO��s basic methods were used to determine the tooth status and the tooth-based treatment needs,16 and the Community Periodontal Index for Treatment Need (CPITN)10,17 was used to record each patient��s scores.
The CPITN scores are: 0 = healthy, 1 = bleeding on gentle probing, 2 = calculus, 3 = shallow pocketing of 4 or 5 mm, and 4 = deep pockets of 6mm or more. The clinical examination of the patients was carried out using a dental mirror, an explorer and the periodontal probe recommended by WHO. Criteria for the assessment of incomplete dentition were based on the concept of the shortened dental arch proposed by Kayser and Witter.18 They suggested that a minimum of 20 teeth is sufficient to meet oral functional demands, and therapy should be aimed at preserving or replacing teeth in the premolar and anterior regions.
If there are less or will be less than 20 teeth after the indicated extractions, they deemed a person to be in need of a partial denture (presence of tooth spaces anterior to the second premolars). A full denture was indicated when an arch was edentulous Batimastat or had only one or two remaining teeth. Orthodontic treatment was indicated in the presence of crowding or spacing of more than 4 mm, anterior cross-bite, openbite and maxillary overjet estimated to be 9 mm or more.14 Four dentists participated in the survey and calibration trials were performed initially to ensure an inter-examiner consistency of at least 85% in recording.