What is the value of orthodontic treatment?

Orthodontic treatment is as popular as ever. Orthodontists frequently have long lists of people wanting treatment and the cost to the NHS in England was £258m in 2010-2011 (approximately 10% of the NHS annual spend on dentistry). It is important that clinicians and healthcare commissioners constantly question the contribution of interventions towards improving the health of the population. In this article, the authors outline some of the evidence for and against the claims that people with a malocclusion are at a disadvantage compared with those without a malocclusion and that orthodontic treatment has significant health benefits. The authors would like to point out that this is not a comprehensive and systematic review of the entire scientific literature. Rather the evidence is presented in order to stimulate discussion and debate

Psychological aspects of orthodontics in clinical practice. Part one: Treatment-specific variables

The orthodontist-patient relationship may have a significant impact on treatment outcome and patient satisfaction, thus improving the overall quality of care. Effective communication is crucial and unfortunately, it is often underestimated in a busy clinical practice. Aim of part one of this article is to review the psychological aspects that are relevant to a number of treatment variables in clinical orthodontics, including compliance with treatment, oral hygiene, management of orthodontic pain and discomfort, and oral habits. Due to the complex nature of the psychology of orthodontic treatment, it is difficult to determine the extent of the influence that the orthodontist-patient relationship may have on these variables, with effective communication and an awareness of the psychological issues playing an important role in enhancing the orthodontist-patient relationship. © 2011 Società Italiana di Ortodonzia SIDO

Psychological aspects of orthodontics in clinical practice. Part two: general psychosocial wellbeing.

Orthodontists tend to treat/see their patients on a systematic, recurrent basis, often during crucial stages of psychological development. Therefore, they have a pivotal role in identifying a number of psychological as well as of psychiatric disorders. Effective communication is crucial and unfortunately, it is often underestimated in a busy clinical practice. Aim of part two of this article it to review the role clinical orthodontics and the orthodontist-patient relationship have on the patients' psychosocial wellbeing, including effects on self-esteem, bullying and harassment by peers, and even several psychiatric disorders, such as anorexia/bulimia nervosa, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorders. Due to the complexity and importance of these issues, the orthodontist may play a dynamic role, not only in the management of dental malocclusions, but at times, as "psychologist" and a counselor to the patient

Factors influencing adolescents' oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL).

BACKGROUND: OHRQoL comprises an apparently complex array of biological and psychological aspects of oral health. AIM: To determine the relative contribution of sociodemographic, psychosocial, or clinical characteristics to OHRQoL in adolescents. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study of Dunedin adolescents was carried out. Each participant completed a self-administered questionnaire and underwent a clinical examination. Information collected included sociodemographic characteristics (sex, ethnicity, and household deprivation), psychosocial characteristics (self-esteem, psychological well-being, somatisation, and self-perception scores for body image), and clinical measures (DMFS and Dental Aesthetic Index). OHRQoL was measured using the 16-item impact short-form CPQ₁₁₋₁₄ questionnaire. Linear regression analyses used the CPQ₁₁₋₁₄ as the dependent variable, with independent variables entered in related groups. RESULTS: Three hundred and fifty-three children (48.4% females) took part, representing a 58.8% response rate. Linear regression modelling of the CPQ₁₁₋₁₄ score showed that sociodemographic characteristics were predictors, but the model's overall explanatory power was low (R(2) = 0.05). This increased slightly with inclusion of the clinical variables. When the psychosocial variables were added, however, the R(2) increased to 0.50; all psychosocial variables (except self-esteem) were strongly associated with the CPQ₁₁₋₁₄ score. Psychological well-being was the strongest predictor. CONCLUSION: Psychosocial characteristics are important contributors to OHRQoL in adolescents and appear to be more important than sociodemographic or clinical characteristics

Self-report of temporomandibular joint clicking and psychological factors: is there an association?

The objectives of this study were to test the hypothesis that self-reported TMJ clicking sounds in adolescents are positively associated with non-specific somatic symptoms, self-perception of body image and care-seeking behaviour. A cross-sectional study was carried out in 353 young adolescents (48·4% females) recruited from community (N = 272) and orthodontic clinic (N = 81) settings. Assessments included self-reported TMJ clicking, non-specific physical symptoms, body image concerns and for the clinic sample only, the source of motivation for treatment. TMJ sounds were self-reported by 19% of the sample and were associated with higher scores for non-specific physical symptoms and body image concerns (P < 0·001). Adolescents who were self-motivated to seek orthodontic treatment had greater scores for non-specific physical symptoms, more body image concerns and tended to report TMJ sounds more often (26·3% and 7·7% respectively; P = 0·41) than those who were solely parent/family-motivated to seek treatment. Self-reported TMJ sounds in adolescents were associated with a propensity to somatisation and concerns with body image. Care-seeking adolescents have greater non-specific physical symptoms and body image concerns and tend to report more frequent TMJ sounds

Impact of malocclusion on quality of life among New Zealand adolescents.

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether malocclusion is associated with oral-health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) in New Zealand adolescents. METHODS: Data from two cross-sectional epidemiological studies of adolescents in Taranaki and Otago were used. Each participant completed a self-administered questionnaire and underwent a clinical examination. Information collected included sociodemographic characteristics (sex, ethnicity and household deprivation), and clinical measures (caries and malocclusion, the latter measured with the Dental Aesthetic Index, or DAI). OHRQoL was measured using the validated 16-item impact short-form Child Perceptions Questionnaire (CPQ11-14). Linear regression was used to model the CPQ11-14 score. RESULTS: 783 adolescents (52.6% male) took part. One-fifth had a handicapping malocclusion and one-third had a minor malocclusion or none. The overall mean DMFS was 2.3 (SD, 3.8), with slightly more than 50% being caries-free. With the exception of the oral symptoms domain, females presented with higher mean CPQ11-14 and domain scores, while Mãori had lower scores. There was a distinct gradient in mean CPQ11-14 and domain scores across the categories of malocclusion severity, whereby those in the 'handicapping' category of the DAI had the highest CPQ11-14 score. Linear regression modeling of the CPQ11-14 score showed that, after controlling for DMFS and socio-demographic characteristics, malocclusion category and being female were positively associated with higher CPQ11-14 scores. CONCLUSION: A severe malocclusion appears to have a negative impact on the OHRQoL of New Zealand adolescents