Psycho-social effects of malocclusion in patients seeking orthodontic treatment- A cross-sectional study in Kashmiri population

Introduction: While treating a patient with malocclusion most of the focus is directed towards chief complaint, biomechanics, materials to be used, majority of the times ignoring the pre and post treatment psychological aspect of the malocclusion. So, it becomes of utmost importance to address this aspect in patients in particular and population in general. Material & Methods: A specially designed questionnaire was filled by 100 patients seeking Orthodontic treatment. Patients were allowed to mark multiple answers. Also, aesthetic component of IOTN was used for comparison of perception of treatment need for malocclusion between Orthodontist (professional) and patient. Results: The patients ranged from 13-35 years of age with 43 male and 57 female patients. No statistically significant difference was found in perception of treatment need by the patient and the Orthodontist. 80% of all subjects reported for orthodontic treatment for aesthetic reasons. 57% of the patients were concerned with the problem, whereas 20% were unconcerned. 58% of the patient felt less confident as they were found to fall below the score of 5 on a scale of 10, whereas 65% patient felt that the malocclusion had a negative impact on their facial appearance.10% patients limited their activities such as holding away their smile, 10% hid their teeth while smiling, 55% were concerned about what the opposite sex thought of their smile, 60% envied others with better smile, 47% wished they had a better smile.90% felt an improvement in their self-esteem at the mere thought of getting braces. Conclusion: Malocclusion has serious psycho-social effects on an individual, so during patient counseling and treatment planning, this aspect should be considered by the Orthodontist.