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