title: Dental aesthetics perception and eating behavior in adolescence.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This correlational study explored the psychosocial aspects related to eating behavior in different age samples of adolescents in treatment from 0 to 60 months at the Clinic of Orthodontics and Dentistry of Messina, Messina, Italy. The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between psychosocial impact, levels of self-esteem, and the possible connection with eating habits of adolescents under orthodontic treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-one adolescents, aged between 12 and 22 years (mean=15.6 ± 2.8) participated to the study. Each adolescents was interviewed with the Eating Attitudes Test, the Rosenberg Self Esteem Scale, and the Psychosocial Impact of Dental Aesthetics Questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Data did not show a direct connection between eating disorder and dental aesthetics, nevertheless, adolescents under orthodontic treatment, especially in the earliest phase of wearing braces, showed peculiar eating habits and underwent a higher psychological impact of dental aesthetics. Eating behaviors are strictly linked to global self-esteem. The processing of the results was made through the Student's t-test and using Pearson's correlation analysis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Increased knowledge of the psychological aspects involved in orthodontic treatment compliance may have positive effects in the relationship between adolescent patients and orthodontists. More attention should be paid to aspects that are often underestimated in clinical practice, thus, influencing the outcome of treatment and patient satisfaction, not only in terms of dental health, but also of mental health.
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Settineri
authors.forename: Amelia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rizzo
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ottanà
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Liotta
authors.forename: Carmela
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mento
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D003740:Dental Clinics; D004955:Esthetics, Dental / Q000523:psychology*; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D009971:Orthodontics, Corrective / Q000523:psychology*; D012649:Self Concept; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012938:Social Perception; D055815:Young Adult