Dental Aesthetic Index scores and perception of personal dental appearance among Turkish university students

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between Turkish university students' awareness of malocclusion, their satisfaction with their personal dental appearance, and the severity of their occlusal irregularities. The sample consisted of 841 randomly selected university students, 522 (62.1 per cent) males and 319 (37.9 per cent) females, aged 17-26 years (mean age, 21.91+/-1.92 years). A pre-tested questionnaire was used to assess the subjects' awareness of malocclusion and satisfaction with their personal dental appearance; the actual severity of malocclusion was determined using the Dental Aesthetic Index (DAI). Statistical analysis was carried out using chi-square for gender differences and Spearman rank-order correlation coefficients for awareness of malocclusion, satisfaction with personal dental appearance, and DAI scores. Analysis of variance and univariate analysis, with age and gender as the independent variables, were further used to analyse the data. Weak but statistically significant, negative, correlations were found between awareness of malocclusion and satisfaction at the following DAI scores: <or= 25 (r= -0.264, P<0.001), 26-30 (r= -0.381, P<0.001), and >or= 36 (r= -0.477, P<0.001), and a statistically insignificant, negative correlation at a score of 31-35 (r= -0.102, P>0.05). A statistically significant association was found between DAI and awareness of malocclusion (r= -0.305) and satisfaction with dental appearance (r=0.234). There were no significant associations between the department in which the individuals studied and the investigated variables (P>0.05). DAI scores were significantly higher for females. Generally, no statistically significant gender differences were found in relation to DAI scores, awareness, or satisfaction (P>0.05). The findings of this study showed that age had a significant effect on satisfaction and gender on DAI score variation. Females had a greater need for normative treatment except in the 20- to 22-year-olds, and satisfaction decreased with age.

Aspectos sociodemográficos relacionados à gravidade da maloclusão em crianças brasileiras de 12 anos

“…O DAI foi indicado pela Organização Mundial de Saúde (OMS) como forma de avaliar a presença de oclusopatias a nível populacional, sendo caracterizado pela combinação de medidas as quais expressam a condição oclusal do indivíduo e sua necessidade de tratamento 17 . Tal índice vem sendo amplamente utilizado em estudos populacionais em diferentes populações 5,[18][19][20] , sendo indicado e aplicado, principalmente, para crianças de 12 anos de idade. Dessa forma, este instrumento tem sido utilizado por estudos prévios com intuito de estimar os diferentes níveis de gravidade da maloclusão [18][19][20] , assim como a necessidade de tratamento ortodôntico 5 .…”

“…Tal índice vem sendo amplamente utilizado em estudos populacionais em diferentes populações 5,[18][19][20] , sendo indicado e aplicado, principalmente, para crianças de 12 anos de idade. Dessa forma, este instrumento tem sido utilizado por estudos prévios com intuito de estimar os diferentes níveis de gravidade da maloclusão [18][19][20] , assim como a necessidade de tratamento ortodôntico 5 . A prevalência da maloclusão entre crianças de 12 anos tem variado em diferentes países, com taxas próximas aos 30% em países como Índia 20 e Espanha 21 .…”

Dental Aesthetic; Psychosocial Impact in Patients Visiting Opd of Liaquat University Hospital Jamshoro

“…Other studied like Nihal et al 25 revealed found a significant negative relationship but weak for awareness Turkish university students' of malocclusion and satisfaction with the appearance of teeth at different levels of severity of malocclusion. Results of the study showed that age had an impact on satisfaction and gender-DAI score variation.…”

Orthodontic Treatment Need, Self-Esteem, and Oral Health-Related Quality of Life Assessment of Primary Schoolchildren: A Cross-Sectional Pilot Study

“…Despite the increasing attention drawn to the field of quality of life studies, orthodontic treatment need and patient triage is often carried out using clinically defined norms in Turkey. [24][25][26][27] Dogan et al…”