title: Subjective assessment of dental and psychosocial effects of orthodontic treatment.
abstract: The aims of the study were to relate patient satisfaction and perceived psychosocial benefit to professional assessed treatment and long-term outcome. Questionnaires were mailed to 250 patients treated previously in a postgraduate clinic. The response rate was 79%, and the mean age was 28.3 years. Professionally defined outcome was assessed according to the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (IOTN) and the Peer Assessment Rating (PAR) index applied to dental casts at the start of treatment (T1), at the end of active treatment (T2) and 5 to 10 years out of retention (T3). Data from 177 cases were used in comparison analysis between patients' and orthodontists' assessments. There was high patient satisfaction with dental appearance (87.0%) and treatment results (77.4%). The aesthetic component of IOTN at T2, PAR score at T3, extraction/non-extraction, pre-treatment concern for dental appearance, sex and treatment time accounted for 33% (R2 = 0.33) of the variability of satisfaction with own dental appearance. Explanatories for self-perceived psychosocial benefit of treatment were pre-treatment concern for dental appearance, aesthetic component at T1 and T3 and PAR score at T3, (R2 = 0.22). Stepwise logistic regression analysis selected change in upper anterior segment (T3-T2) as the most important component of PAR index features for grouping satisfied and dissatisfied individuals (Odds ratio = 0.65) together with satisfaction with own dental appearance (Odds ratio = 7.28). The results indicate some discrepancies between professionally assessed outcome and patient satisfaction and perceived psychosocial benefit. The aesthetic component was a stronger indicator for patient satisfaction and perceived benefit than the PAR index.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthodontics and Facial Orthopedics, University of Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Birkeland
authors.forename: O E
authors.initials: OE
authors.lastname: Bøe
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Wisth
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D004955:Esthetics, Dental / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008310:Malocclusion / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway; D009971:Orthodontics, Corrective / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011593:Psychology, Social; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012649:Self Concept; D012647:Self-Assessment