Dental News - Orthodontic treatment not associated with overall happiness, study finds

Dental Tribune International

Tue. 18. June 2019

save

ADELAIDE, Australia: Research undertaken at the University of Adelaide has examined whether an orthodontic treatment has an impact on psychosocial outcomes. The study concluded that, contrary to popular belief, such therapy does not result in better psychosocial functioning later in life.

The study, the first of its type in Australia and the second in the world, investigated whether having undergone treatment with fixed orthodontic appliances led to a greater level of happiness or psychosocial outcomes later in life. The longitudinal study followed 448 13-year-olds from Adelaide who had previously participated in an oral epidemiology study between 1988 and 1989. By the time the participants turned 30 in 2005 and 2006, more than a third had received an orthodontic treatment.

“There was a pattern of higher psychosocial scores in people who did not have orthodontic treatment, meaning people who hadn’t had braces fitted were significantly more optimistic than the ones that did have braces,” said study co-author Dr Esma Doğramaci, lecturer in orthodontics at the university’s School of Dentistry. “Those who didn’t have braces had varying levels of crooked teeth, just like those who had braces treatment, ranging from mild through to very severe.”

The study looked at four psychosocial aspects. First, it examined how well the participants felt they coped with new or difficult situations and associated setbacks. Then, the researchers checked how confident they felt in taking care of their own health. The researchers also assessed the support the participants believed they received from their personal network and, finally, their level of optimism.

“These indicators were chosen because they are important for psychosocial functioning and are relevant to health behaviours and health outcomes, since the core research question was the impact of braces treatment on patients’ self-confidence and happiness in later life,” Doğramaci noted. “A lot of people are convinced that if they have braces, they will feel more positive about themselves and do well, psychosocially, in later life. This study confirmed that other factors play a role in predicting psychosocial functioning as adults—braces as a youngster was not one of them.”

The study, titled “The long-term influence of orthodontic treatment on adults’ psychosocial outcomes: An Australian cohort study”, was published online on 27 May 2019 in Orthodontics and Craniofacial Research, ahead of inclusion in an issue.

Tags:

To post a reply please login or register

Hyperglycaemia not associated with poor oral health, study finds

HELSINKI, Finland: Scientists have previously identified obesity and increasing age as risk factors for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Some scholars ...

Reflux associated with temporomandibular disorder, study finds

XIAN, China: Reflux is an uncomfortable condition that can have negative effects on a patient’s oral health. In a recent study, researchers have ...

Removing sweets from checkouts reduces overall unhealthy purchases, study finds

LONDON, UK: According to 2017 statistics released by the NHS, there were more than 40,000 hospital operations to extract teeth in children and teenagers in ...

Periodontal treatment ineffective for heavy smokers with severe periodontitis, study finds

AARHUS, Denmark: Smoking can greatly affect periodontitis treatment—these are the findings of a recent study that investigated the influence of different ...

Orthodontics offers no guarantee of long-term oral health, study finds

ADELAIDE, Australia: Research carried out at the University of Adelaide has examined the relationship between previous orthodontic treatment and improved ...

Study finds that dental caries are not genetic

MELBOURNE, Australia: In the first large-scale study to look at the oral microbiome, researchers from Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI) have ...

Scientists find adverse pulmonary health effects associated with vaping

BALTIMORE, U.S: Scientists investigating the potential health effects of vaping on the human pulmonary system have reported that inhaling vapor from ...

Interview: "The natural oral microbiome is not associated with oral disease"

An interview with ADC speaker Prof. Philip Marsh, UK

Study finds acupuncture could help with dental anxiety

YORK, UK: Fear of the dentist is something some people suffer from more than others. With multiple reasons for dental anxiety and its effects, there is ...

Study finds sugary drinks not necessarily linked to childhood obesity

NOTTINGHAM, UK: Given what we know about the relationship between rates of obesity and sugar consumption, it would seem to be common sense that children who...

Education

Live webinar
Mon. 22 April 2024
10:00 am EST (New York)