title: Factors influencing patient satisfaction with dental appearance and treatments they desire to improve aesthetics.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We assessed factors influencing patients' satisfaction with their dental appearance and the treatments they desired to improve dental aesthetics.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was performed out among 235 adult patients who visited the Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia dental clinic. A structured, interviewer-guided questionnaire was used to identify patient satisfaction with their general dental appearance, cosmetic elements and desired treatments.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 235 patients consisted of 70 males (29.8%) and 165 females (70.2%), of mean age 31.5 years (SD 13.0). Of these patients, 124 (52.8%) were not satisfied with their general dental appearance. In addition, 132 patients (56.2%) were not happy with the color of their teeth, 76 (32.3%), regarded their teeth were poorly aligned, 62 (26.4%), as crowded and 56 (23.4%) protruded. Dissatisfaction with tooth color was significantly higher in female than in male patients (odds ratio [OR] of 1.99 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.13-3.50). Tooth whitening was the treatment most desired by patients (48.1%). Results of multiple logistic regression analysis showed that patient dissatisfaction with general dental appearance was significantly associated with female gender (OR = 2.18; 95% CI: 1.18-4.03), unhappiness with tooth color (OR = 3.05; 95% CI: 1.74-5.34) and the opinion that their teeth protruded (OR = 2.91, 95% CI: 1.44-5.91).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Most patients in this study were not satisfied with their dental appearance with a greater percentage of females expressing dissatisfaction than males. An age was not associated with satisfaction. Unhappiness with tooth color and feelings of having protruding teeth also had a significant negative influence on patient satisfaction with general dental appearance.
authors.affiliation: School of Dental Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Health Campus, 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia. monmonto@kb.usm.my
authors.forename: Mon Mon
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Tin-Oo
authors.forename: Norkhafizah
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Saddki
authors.forename: Nurhidayati
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hassan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D004955:Esthetics, Dental / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D016013:Likelihood Functions; D016015:Logistic Models; D008296:Malaysia; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009971:Orthodontics, Corrective / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012372:ROC Curve; D012494:Sampling Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014073:Tooth Bleaching / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult