Abstract
Introduction. Physical, mental, and social consequences of malocclusion may impact the quality of life. The aim of this review is to describe main factors motivating parents for orthodontic treatment for their children. Methods. A systematic review study design was used to identify articles analyzing different motivational factors in orthodontic treatment appearing in Medline database, EMBASE, and Google Scholar. The search terms used were teasing, motivating factors, orthodontics, malocclusion, quality of life, smile attractiveness, and perception of malocclusion. Papers selected up to May 2013 included retrospective and prospective longitudinal studies, randomized control trials, cross-sectional studies, reviews, and meta-analyses. Results. 13 articles included in this review identified aesthetics as the main motivational factor in orthodontic treatment. Children mention teeth crowding, large overbite, missing teeth, and largest maxillary anterior irregularities also as motivational factors. Parents want their children to look nice and worry of being accused of neglecting parental duties. Conclusions. Dissatisfaction with one's appearance, dentist recommendation, interest and worries of parents, and the impact of peers who wear braces rank among the main motivation factors of seeking orthodontic treatment. Understanding these factors allows better planning of resources and better assessment of the requirements and priorities of treatment.
Highlights
Physical, mental, and social consequences of malocclusion may impact the quality of life
The aim of this paper is to give a systematic review of motivational factors for orthodontic treatment in children
Dissatisfaction with one’s appearance, recommendation from a dentist, interest and worries on the part of the parents about neglecting their child’s teeth, and the impact of peers who wear braces rank among the main factors which contribute towards seeking out orthodontic treatment
Summary
Mental, and social consequences of malocclusion may impact the quality of life. The aim of this review is to describe main factors motivating parents for orthodontic treatment for their children. 13 articles included in this review identified aesthetics as the main motivational factor in orthodontic treatment. Dissatisfaction with one’s appearance, dentist recommendation, interest and worries of parents, and the impact of peers who wear braces rank among the main motivation factors of seeking orthodontic treatment. Irregularities in the position of the teeth and jaws have a significant impact on the attractiveness and aesthetics of the smile and on quality of life. These irregularities can disrupt social interaction, interpersonal relationships, and mental wellbeing and may lead to a feeling of inferiority [5]. It is important to identify factors which directly motivate parents to bring their child in for orthodontic examination and as the case maybe orthodontic treatment
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