An assessment of relationship between self-esteem, orthodontic concern, and Dental Aesthetic Index (DAI) scores among secondary school students in Ibadan, Nigeria.
OBJECTIVE
To ascertain the correlation between self-esteem, orthodontic concern and orthodontic status using DAI scores in a group of Nigerian potential orthodontic patients.


METHODS
A cross-sectional analytical study.


METHODS
Secondary schools reflecting a good socio-economic spread of adolescents in the town.


METHODS
Randomly selected 520 junior and senior students 276 (53.1%) males and 244 (46.9%) females with mean age of 15.02 +/- 3.26 (SD) years participated in the study.


METHODS
Each student was asked to fill in the questionnaire on orthodontic concern and Global Negative Self-Evaluation scale (GSE) with subsequent assessment of the occlusion according to the DAI by one orthodontist. After obtaining consent, thirty students were re-examined to test intra-examiner reliability which was good (r = 0.98, P < 0.001).


RESULTS
The correlations between self-esteem, orthodontic concern and DAI scores were tested using Spearman rank order correlation coefficient. Significant positive correlations were observed between self-esteem and orthodontic concern according to DAI treatment category needs (r = 0.274, p<0.01; r = 0.396, p<0.01; r = 0.347, p<0.05) except for the severe malocclusion group which was positive but not statistically significant (r = 0.136, p> 0.05). Significant correlation was equally noted between DAI scores and orthodontic concern (r = 0.191, p<0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Significant positive correlation existed between self-esteem in a group of Nigerian adolescents and their orthodontic concern as well as between their DAI scores and orthodontic concern. DAI should be a relevant and useful occlusal index for the Nigerian orthodontic population.
Orthodontic Unit, Department of Preventive Dentistry, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria. uchmed@skannet.com
C O
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Onyeaso
D000293:Adolescent; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004955:Esthetics, Dental; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008310:Malocclusion / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D020380:Needs Assessment; D009549:Nigeria; D012649:Self Concept; D012647:Self-Assessment; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires