Psychosocial impact of dental esthetics regulates motivation to seek orthodontic treatment

Feiou Lin; Manman Ren; Linjie Yao; Yan He; Jing Guo; Qingsong Ye

doi:10.1016/j.ajodo.2016.02.024

Psychosocial impact of dental esthetics regulates motivation to seek orthodontic treatment

Am J Orthod Dentofacial Orthop. 2016 Sep;150(3):476-82. doi: 10.1016/j.ajodo.2016.02.024.

Authors

Feiou Lin¹, Manman Ren², Linjie Yao³, Yan He⁴, Jing Guo⁵, Qingsong Ye⁶

Affiliations

¹ Attending physician, Department of Orthodontics, School of Stomatology, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China; PhD postgraduate student, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China; visiting scholar, College of Medicine and Dentistry, James Cook University, Cairns, Queensland, Australia.
² Master, School of Stomatology, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China.
³ Attending physician, Department of Pedodontics, School of Stomatology, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China.
⁴ Lecturer, Discipline of Orthodontics, Oral Health Centre, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
⁵ Professor, Department of Orthodontics, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China.
⁶ Adjunct professor, School of Stomatology, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China; professor, Discipline of Orthodontics, Oral Health Centre, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Electronic address: [email protected].

PMID: 27585776
DOI: 10.1016/j.ajodo.2016.02.024

Abstract

Introduction: The aim of this study was to evaluate the psychosocial impact of dental esthetics for adults seeking orthodontic treatment.

Methods: The Chinese version of the Psychosocial Impact of Dental Aesthetics Questionnaire (PIDAQ) was administered to 393 adults, aged 18 to 30 years. The participants were divided into 2 groups: an intervention group (received orthodontic treatment) and a control group (rejected orthodontic treatment). Baseline malocclusion severity was assessed using the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (IOTN).

Results: The Wilcoxon signed rank test showed no statistically significant difference between the groups for the dental health component (DHC) of the IOTN (P = 0.134). Total and subscale PIDAQ scores of the intervention group were higher than those of the control group and differed significantly in each group among the 4 IOTN-DHC grades; self-confidence scores in the control group (F = 1.802; P >0.05) were the exception. Correlations between the PIDAQ scores and the IOTN-DHC grades were strong in each group. DHC grades, psychological impact, social impact, and aesthetic concern had significant impacts on patients accepting orthodontic treatment.

Conclusions: The psychosocial impact of dental esthetics played an important role in the decision-making process of adults seeking orthodontic treatment. Importantly, participants with low self-awareness of the potential psychosocial impact rejected orthodontic treatment, despite the need for severe normative treatment.

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Adult
China
Decision Making
Esthetics, Dental*
Female
Humans
Male
Motivation*
Orthodontics, Corrective / psychology*
Patient Acceptance of Health Care / psychology*
Social Change*
Surveys and Questionnaires
Young Adult