Association between psychosocial aspects of dental esthetic on quality of life in students of Khorasgan University

Malocclusion not only affects oral function and appearance, but also has economic, social and psychological effects. The aim of this study was the analysis of association between the psychosocial aspects of dental esthetic and quality of life of university students.

In this descriptive analytical study, 82 students (41 males and 41 females) with a range of 18‒25 years, without any history of orthodontic treatment, were selected by random simple sampling method. All the subjects were examined for DAI (Dental Aesthetic Index) and then 3 questionnaires, including PIDAQ (Psychosocial Impact of Dental Aesthetics Questionnaire), BES (Body Esteem Scale) and OHIP-14 (Oral Health Impact Profile) and a demographic questionnaire, were completed by the subjects. Data was analyzed by ANOVA, Pearson’s correlation test and Spearman’s test using SPSS 20 (α = 0.05).

The results showed a significant relationship between malocclusion severity and dental self-confidence (p value = 0.002). Furthermore, the young people who did not have attractive dental appearance had worries about the beauty of their teeth (p value = 0.02), with significant psychological effects on them (p value = 0.01). There were no significant relationships between the severity of malocclusion and satisfaction with body status (p value = 0.012), the quality of life (p value = 0.13) and the social effects of dental esthetics (p value = 0.234). There were no significant differences between the two genders in different components of questionnaires and quality of life.

Under the limitations of the present study, although severity of malocclusion had no effects on students’ quality of life and their social life, it appears body self-esteem affects their quality of life and other psychosocial aspects of dental esthetics. Further studies are recommended.