This study investigated the residual unmet orthodontic need, both normative and perceived, in young adults who had passed the age at which orthodontic treatment would have normally commenced. A total of 506 15- and 16-year-olds attending eight secondary schools were screened by a single trained examiner using the 'Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need' (IOTN). There were 154 (30.4%) subjects classified as being in need of orthodontic treatment using IOTN and 82 of these (16% of the sample) were found to be in need of orthodontic treatment but had no recollection of orthodontic treatment ever being discussed with them. Children with malocclusion, who had received no orthodontic advice, came from across the range of socio-economic groups, were more likely to be male, and were less likely to be happy with their appearance than their unaffected peers.