Women and patients requiring orthognathic surgery were significantly less happy with their dentofacial appearance compared to control patients, with 91% expressing a desire to change their appearance, according to a study in the Angle Orthodontist (March 2010, Vol. 80:2, pp. 361-366).
Researchers in the department of orthodontics at Queen's University tested the hypothesis that the self-perception of dental and facial attractiveness among patients requiring orthognathic surgery is no different from that of control patients. They surveyed 162 patients who required orthognathic treatment and 157 control subjects, using questionnaires to assess each individual's happiness with dental and facial appearance.
Among the study findings:
- Orthognathic patients were less happy with their dental appearance than were controls.
- Among orthognathic patients, the "shape" and "prominence" of their teeth were the most frequent causes of concern.
- Older subjects, women, and orthognathic patients were less happy with their facial appearance.
- Class II surgical patients reported a higher level of unhappiness with their dental appearance and were also more likely than class III patients to want to change their overall appearance.
The findings support previous research indicating that concerns about dentofacial aesthetics are the major motivating factor for patients undergoing orthognathic treatment, the authors concluded.
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