Orthodontic Patient Pre-treatment Psychosocial Status and Professionally Defined Treatment Need

Objectives: Measure and assess the relationship between 1) pre-treatment patient self-esteem and quality of life and 2) professionally defined pre-treatment need for a selected group of orthodontic patients. Methods: A longitudinal study design was used. Convenience sampling was used to recruit 357 consecutive patients aged 11 to 21 years old about to commence orthodontic treatment. Patients were recruited from community orthodontic clinics, a dental teaching hospital and private practices. Self-esteem and quality of life were measured using the Self-Esteem Index (SEI) and Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedQOL). A maximum score of 320 and 100 respectively indicates high self-esteem and quality of life. Pre-treatment study models were scored by calibrated orthodontists using the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (IOTN) Dental Health Component (DHC) and Aesthetic Component (AC) scales. A minimum score of 1 on the DHC and AC scales represents the most favourable scores. Results: Mean SEI score was 256 (SD = 23). Mean PedQOL score was 84 (SD = 15). Median DHC score was 4 (range = 5 to 2). Median AC score was 7 (range = 10 to 2). Analysis of variance (ANOVA) indicated a non-significant relationship between mean SEI and AC scores (p=0.381) and between mean SEI and DHC scores (p=0.383). ANOVA further indicated a non-significant relationship between PedQOL and AC scores (p=0.124) and between PedQOL and DHC scores (p=0.274). When AC and DHC scores were categorised into little, moderate or high treatment need categories, a further non-significant relationship was found between SEI and treatment need category (p=0.366) and between PedQOL and treatment need category (p=0.069). Conclusions: Orthodontic patient pre-treatment self-esteem and quality of life do not appear to be significantly related to professionally defined pre-treatment need.

*This project is funded by the Irish Higher Education Authority North-South Research Programme (Number 3921)